


Magic of Etheria

by IorekoftheHorde



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Adora (She-Ra) is a Dork, Adventure, Adventure & Romance, Angst, Canon Lesbian Character, Canon Lesbian Relationship, Catra (She-Ra) Needs a Hug, Catra (She-Ra) Redemption, F/F, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Lesbian Adora (She-Ra), Lesbian Catra (She-Ra), Magic, POV Adora (She-Ra), Poor Catra (She-Ra), Post-She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018) Season 5, Romance, Useless Lesbians, catradora
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-05
Updated: 2021-03-17
Packaged: 2021-03-18 14:14:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 51,786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29859327
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IorekoftheHorde/pseuds/IorekoftheHorde
Summary: The Horde is defeated and peace has settled on Etheria for the first time in decades.It doesn't take long for the rebuilding efforts to begin, with everyone working together at last.But with the magic of Etheria released all at once what challenges will arise to face the best friend squad, and how will Catra manage her developing magical abilities...
Relationships: Adora/Catra (She-Ra), Bow/Glimmer (She-Ra), Perfuma/Scorpia (She-Ra)
Comments: 33
Kudos: 54





	1. The First Morning of Peace

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> • This story expands upon the She-Ra Netflix series.  
> • Takes place after the events of Season 5.  
> • Written from Adora's POV.

I woke to the sound of a soft purring greeting me into Etheria's first morning of true peace. I smiled as I opened my eyes, and a warmth spread through me as I took in the sight of Catra lying in the bed by my side. Sunlight streamed in through the windows, a light breeze blowing against the curtains. I closed my eyes again and listened as Catra purred in her sleep. I still couldn't believe that yesterday had actually happened. We defeated Horde Prime, saved Etheria, and _Catra_... I smiled and could feel my face getting warm. After we returned to Bright Moon yesterday the city threw a huge celebration out of nowhere, not even Glimmer knew it was happening, but she didn't complain. We all danced the night away, laughing and singing, enjoying the feeling of complete freedom. The festivities steadily slowed as everyone turned in for the night one by one, or two by two in some cases.

I opened my eyes again and put my hand on Catra's cheek, caressing it gently with my thumb. She had come with me after the party but seemed to get defensive when I asked if she wanted to stay with me, leaving me to go elsewhere saying "see you in the morning" before bounding away down the hall. After she had said that I hadn't expected to wake up next to her, but here she was. She must have come back after I fell asleep.

It occurred to me that this is the first time she's actually slept _next_ to me instead of being curled up at the end of the bed. Her ear suddenly twitched. Not wanting to wake her I slowly started moving my hand away from her face, but I stopped when Catra's hand met mine and held it in place on her cheek. Then I realised her eyes were wide open, staring at me. I returned her stunned gaze for a moment before smiling at her. Her expression softened and she smiled back, stroking the back of my hand before whispering, 'Hey, Adora.' Such happiness welled up inside me at that moment that I moved without thinking, reaching my hand round to the back of her head and pulling her towards me. She let out a startled moan as our lips touched and tried to move back, but she steadily eased into it, her hand moving to my cheek, holding me. This was perfect. It felt so right, so good. I could stay there, in that moment, forever.

Then Catra moved her hand to my shoulder and pulled away, burying her face under my head before I had a chance to look at her. She was breathing quickly, heavily. 'What, did you forget to breathe?' I asked, smirking.

'Shut up.'

I snorted and grinned before wrapping my arms around her and pulling her close. Her arm slowly reached around me too, her face still buried where I couldn't see it. I could just picture the blush that must have spread across her face. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, savouring the moment before asking, 'So where'd you run off to last night? I thought you wouldn't be coming back.'

Her claws dug into my back a little, 'I just – I needed to think. So much happened yesterday with the Horde invasion, Shadow Weaver and... you. I just needed some quiet to process it all.'

Shadow Weaver. She had sacrificed herself so me and Catra could go on to the Heart of Etheria safely. Without her we may not be here right now, in each other's arms – I knew she must have had some good left in her, but I never thought she would do anything like that. I moved my hand up and started stroking Catra's hair and smiled as she purred softly. I couldn't believe how long we had been fighting on opposite sides of a war, always trying to get one up on one another. I realised at some point that I had started hoping to run into her on our missions, if just to see she was okay. 'You take all the time you need; I'm not going anywhere. I'll never leave you ever again.'

She looked up at me, and I met her gaze. She had such beautiful eyes, shining with tears forming within them. I started moving my hand to wipe her eyes, but they suddenly opened wide in surprise. She jumped up off the bed and leapt across the room just as the door swung open, revealing Glimmer and Bow standing in the hallway, 'Adora! Are you awake? We can't find Catra anywhere...' she trailed off as she saw Catra in the room, hiding her face against the floor. I sat up, stunned, and burst out laughing as Melog crept into the room and moved over to where Catra was slumped. Melog must have been outside the door, which meant they must have somehow sent Catra a message that Glimmer and Bow were coming.

'Morning, guys,' I greeted, watching as Catra, still hiding her face, started reaching toward her black and red Horde uniform which was just out of reach next to the bed.

'Good morning Adora, _and_ Catra. I should've known she'd be in here with you,' remarked Glimmer, smirking at me. I felt my face turn red.

Catra let out a low growl, 'Ughhh, leave me alone, Sparkles,' she sat up and hissed towards them as they stood in the doorway. The moment of hostility didn't last though, she laughed as Melog nudged her to the ground and licked her face. I don't think I'd ever get used to hearing that laugh.

'Tooo cuuuute!' Bow squealed, his eyes grew two sizes while he watched this scene unfold. I didn't say it out loud, but it was completely adorable. I couldn't help but feel immensely lucky to be able to have this moment and be a part of it. Had Shadow Weaver not sacrificed herself, had Catra not been there, I might've actually died. For a brief moment the vision of the future I had flashed in my mind, all of us together just like this.

'So, what's the plan for today?' I asked, bringing myself back to reality, 'Now that the Horde is gone what's our next move? Rebuilding? Bringing magic back to the Universe?' I looked over at Catra and briefly met her gaze, but she quickly looked down at the floor. Had I said something wrong?

'For now we'll focus on clean-up of Bright Moon and all nearby settlements. There will be a meeting of the Princess Alliance in a couple of days to discuss more long-term plans. I just wanted to let you know that you can take it easy until then, we could all do with some time to recharge.' She smiled at Bow, taking his hand in hers. 'Well! We'll leave you two to... whatever it was you were doing. Bye!' And with that they left, closing the door behind them.

Catra was sat up now, cross-legged with Melog on her knee as she stroked their head. She was still looking down, quiet. 'Hey, Catra, are you okay?' I asked as I moved across the bed before standing and making my way toward her. She turned so her back was toward me. I put my hand on her shoulder, but she shrugged me off. I paused, stunned, my chest starting to ache, 'Catra, what's wrong? Talk to me, please.' I knelt down behind her, trying to keep my growing worry under control.

Catra sighed, 'I just – I just want...' she paused.

'Catra? You can talk to me.'

'I know! I just want – I need – some time... with... you,' she trailed off toward the end, getting quieter, but I heard her.

I let out the breath I didn't know I was holding and smiled, 'Catra, that's...'

Catra spun round to face me, 'I just want to spend time with you! Okay!?' her frown immediately disappeared, her eyes went wide, and she turned bright red. She looked down at the floor, 'I mean, I – I've done nothing but fight against you for so long, and even after we got back to Etheria you were always busy helping others and had no time for – for me.' She closed her eyes and bowed her head; her hands were shaking. 'Just ignore me, it's stupid. Go and help people, it's what you're best at.' She stood up, picked up her clothes and started towards the door.

'Oh, Catra.' I moved after her, wrapping my arms around her from behind and stopping her, 'I will always have time for you. Always. You were right – in the Heart – I am an idiot. I didn't realise how I felt until you said it first. I hated leaving you behind in the Horde, it tore me apart, and I'll never forgive myself for it. I've been worried about you ever since – I never stopped thinking about you, I couldn't just leave you behind on Horde Prime's ship either.' I felt tears start to run down my face, 'I never meant to make you feel like I didn't care for you, like you didn't matter.' I spun her round and put my hands on her shoulders, looking her in the eye, 'Catra, I really do love you, I'm sorry it took me so long to realise it. I'm sorry it took me almost dying for you to say it first. But ever since you did say it, I've thought of nothing but you. I can't think of anything else. My head is full of thoughts about you and how I feel about you. You are the centre of my world and my first priority, and I will never prioritise anything above you ever again.'

Catra just stared at me in silence for a moment. Wide eyed and stunned. Then a tear slid down her face and she turned bright red. She dropped the uniform she had picked up and carefully held my face in her hands, 'Adora...' I felt a warmth spread through me as Catra moved closer, I could feel my heartbeat getting faster as her lips closed in on mine... and then she kissed me. All at once my body reacted to her, it was nothing like our first kiss in the Heart, or the one when we woke up, this was so much _more_. Shivers of pleasure shot through me as she deepened the kiss, parting my lips. I lost myself, stopped thinking. I pushed against her, backing her up against the door. Her hands were in my hair, I felt her claws running through it as she held me in place. My hands glided down the curves of her back and I felt the door handle behind her, locking it without hesitation. Her ear twitched, she must have heard it. Her hands fell to my hips and she pushed against me, forcing me backwards. I fell back onto the bed, leaving her standing. Our eyes fixed on one another, our breathing ragged. The way she was looking at me... I had never seen it before. I wanted more.

'Catra...' was all I could say between my heavy breaths. She moved toward me, and I found myself almost intimidated, backing up further onto the bed. She followed, straddling me then pinning my hands above my head.

Her face was inches away from mine now and I could feel the warmth of her breath on me, she was looking deep into my eyes with a want, a _need_ , and I felt myself becoming restless underneath her.

She leant down and whispered in my ear, 'Hey, Adora.'

I felt a shiver course through me, and a moan I didn't know I was suppressing managed to escape. She grinned, 'There's no escaping now, you're all mine...'

And then she kissed me again.


	2. Whispers

I winced as Catra wrapped the bandages around me, covering up the deepest of the scratches on my back and apologising constantly as she did. Catra, it turns out, is a scratcher. That morning may have been the best morning of my life. I could never have imagined that me leaving the Horde all those years ago would lead us to this moment, Catra and me... _together_. Now that I could think with a clear head again, I couldn't help but replay it in my mind. I've never felt like that before, so alive, so much emotion in a single moment that far surpassed anything I've ever experienced. Something that I definitely hadn't expected was Catra being able to bring out She-Ra... It had been entirely involuntary on my part but at that moment I just couldn't control it, couldn't keep her down.

As She-Ra, I hadn't noticed how much Catra was digging in with her claws, and once I relaxed, calmed down, and returned to my normal self, I began to feel the stinging all over my body. Which is why I was sat at the room's vanity, watching in the mirror as Catra fussed around me with bandages, a worried expression glued to her face. I had insisted I was fine, but she insisted back saying it was all her fault and that she would take care of it. I had considered telling her I could just heal the scratches away, but she looked so focused wrapping them that I didn't want to interrupt. That, and I quite liked being fussed over. She lifted up my arm and began wrapping it with more bandage. 'Catra, I promise, it's not that bad,' I tried to reassure her, 'Don't worry about it.'

Her eyes met mine in the mirror for a second before she carried on, 'I had no idea I was doing this to you. I'm so sorry, Adora.' She traced some of my older scars with her finger, being especially gentle.

'It's okay Catra, honestly. I'm at fault too. We'll just have to be more careful.' I smiled reassuringly as she finished up what she was doing, placing what was left of the bandages on the vanity then sitting on the bed behind me, her head in her hands. I got up and moved across to her before kneeling down and taking her hands in mine. 'Hey, it's okay.'

'It's not just about earlier. I remember giving you some of those older scars. I can't help but feel bad for all the times I've hurt you.' She squeezed my hands in hers and I smiled at her.

'Catra... We can't dwell on the past. We've always fought each other, especially since we grew up in the Fright Zone. I'm sure you have your share of scars too, even if they're hidden.' I gently moved my hand up her arm, disturbing the perfectly flat fur and making it stand on end. She quickly flattened it down again with her other hand.

'That doesn't make me feel better, you know.'

'You can't keep feeling guilty. All we can do now is move forward. You and me, together.' She averted her gaze, but I caught her head in my hand and looked into her eyes, 'Hey, it was amazing.'

A smile formed at the edge of her mouth as I caressed her cheek, 'Yeah, it was,' she said, leaning into my hand, 'I just want to avoid hurting you, if I can.'

'If it helps, it was definitely worth it.' I felt my face turning red, 'I really did enjoy it.'

She let out a short laugh and flopped back on the bed, covering her face with her hands. 'I'll get my claws under control for next time, I promise.'

As I stood up, I couldn't help but look her up and down, she really was beautiful. 'Next time, huh? Oh, for sure. I'll have to try and keep She-Ra under control too.'

Catra let out a short squeal and rocked from side to side on the bed, her hands still covering her face. She peaked out from between her fingers and met my gaze. I love her eyes. 'I wouldn't _really_ mind if She-Ra did join us again...'

I felt my face heat up immediately. I turned around and walked over to the balcony, looking out over Bright Moon while hiding my expression from Catra. I can't believe the way she makes me feel. This morning made me realise just how much I had been longing for this kind of connection with her, it feels so _right_. She makes me feel things I never thought I would ever feel. And being here with her, in Bright Moon, the both of us together away from the Horde, the war behind us... It feels like a dream – one I never want to wake from.

Catra's arms are suddenly wrapped around my waist, her face buried in my shoulder. I hadn't heard her approach but feeling her warmth on me reassured me that this is no dream. This was real. I leant my head on hers as I regarded the view out of the window. Below us, the people of Bright Moon had started clearing up, both from the celebration last night and the destruction of Horde Prime's occupation. Bright Moon had fallen into Prime's hands early on in the battle, when Bow, Entrapta and I were going after Glimmer and Catra who were being held captive on the Horde's flagship. I squeezed Catra's arm, unable to help thinking about the hell she must have gone through after saving Glimmer. Having that chip implanted, losing herself... I tried to shake the thoughts from my mind, trying not to worry. She'll talk to me about it again when she's ready. 'Soooo... shall we go for a walk?' I asked, breaking the silence. Catra groaned into my shoulder. 'Oh come on, we should go and see if anyone needs any help, see if She-Ra can do any heavy lifting.'

Catra lifted her head and let her chin rest on my shoulder, 'Sure thing, Princess. I wondered how long you'd be able to last without offering a helping hand.'

'I can't just stand by if someone needs my help.'  
'You can't just stand by if someone needs your help.' We spoke in unison, I let out a snort, 'Yeah I know, Adora, that's just how you are.' She gave me a gentle squeeze before moving away and picking up her Horde uniform from where she dropped it near the door. Melog got up from where they had been lying for the past couple hours and followed after her, sitting nearby as she got dressed. I had completely forgotten Melog was in the room...

It was at that moment I remembered that Swift Wind and I were linked, we can feel what the other feels, especially when I'm She-Ra... 'Oh no,' I whisper to myself, hoping that he hadn't been paying attention this morning and hoping that he wasn't around anyone else if he had been. It's one thing for Melog to be in the room, but if Swift Wind was aware of it and said anything to anyone... I screamed internally at the thought of it but pushed it down and took a deep breath, 'It's fine, it'll be fine.'

'Hey, slow poke.' Catra called from across the room, 'I'm done. Are we going out or what?'

I looked over at her and smiled, she was standing with one hand on her hip. 'Yeah! Of course, just give me a minute.' I proceeded to fumble around the room, collecting my clothes as Catra watched.

**

Bright Moon was more colourful than ever, and despite the rubble and repair work, a reminder of the recent war, everyone seemed... happy. The sky had never looked so beautiful, and all manner of creatures flew through it, basking in the sun of the first morning of a brand new, rejuvenated Etheria. Releasing the magic from the heart had impacted everywhere, and I couldn't imagine what the Fright Zone must look like now, covered in plants with all kinds of magical creatures returning to their original habitats.

As we walked through the streets, weaving between the crowds of people carrying this and that from one place to another, it became clear that news of Catra being here was not a secret. Most people we passed greeted us and thanked us for our help in defeating the Horde. Whereas some seemed uneasy around Catra, whispering as they passed us. Others blatantly greeted me directly but ignored her entirely. It stung, because I knew that Catra could hear what they were whispering, and as I looked over at her she was stood holding her arm, head down, tail wrapped around her leg, trying to look as unnoticeable as possible. Of course, the Horde uniform wouldn't hide her especially well, and unlike me these people haven't known her their whole lives. Until recently, she had been their enemy. Everyone knew Catra's name, she was seen as dangerous, ruthless, unforgiving. But here she was, following the She-Ra around with her tail between her legs. It broke my heart to see it, but I knew that nothing I could say right now would make her feel better. Things like this needed time to heal, people needed time to forgive.

We continued to patrol the city, and I helped as She-Ra where I could, smashing this and moving that. Eventually, we found some of the princesses stood chatting together. Well, I spotted Swift Wind first, then I saw he was stood with Scorpia and Perfuma, they seemed to be secretly whispering about something. I took a breath and moved toward them, Catra following behind. As I moved closer, my eyes met with Swift Wind's and he froze wide-eyed. That's not a good sign. 'Heeeey! Fellow... magical princesses,' I shot finger guns at them nervously, making pew-pew sounds as I did. Swift Wind followed me with his gaze but hadn't moved a muscle, 'How goes... the day?' I laughed nervously while trying to decipher Swift Wind's current expression. He steadily turned his head and looked away from me. I might just die right here; he wouldn't have said anything. Right?

Scorpia was the first to speak, Perfuma just had a huge grin plastered on her face, 'Hey! Adora! Good to see ya! And Catra! There's my wild... wildcat! Haha... Woo! Yeah... Wow...' He had definitely said something, I hated being right.

'Scorpia, hey,' said Catra, 'What's up? Why are you acting so weird?'

Scorpia looked at Perfuma, who quickly glanced at Swift Wind before looking back to Scorpia before laughing nervously, still with that huge grin on her face. Scorpia looked towards Catra, her face starting to go red, 'Well, uh, _funny story_! Actually... uh. Swift Wind here was just um, just talking to us about uh...' She looked at me as I started motioning for her to stop talking, 'Just telling us about... all those _loop-de-loops_ he's been doing! Yeah! Wow. What a rush, huh Swifty? Whew. Aha...' She scratched her head with one of her pincers. 'Wow. We uh... We should get going! Actually. Yeah. We've got to help... Over there!' She pointed in a random direction, 'So see you later, Wildcat!' She then started running off in a different direction to where she had pointed.

Perfuma chuckled nervously, 'Hiiii. I should... uh.' She pointed after Scorpia before waving and running after her.

Catra watched them go before looking at me, 'What was up with them...' she looked concerned as she saw my face, 'Adora – you're bright red. What's happening? Scorpia's never been that weird before.' I put my head in my hands, my face felt like it was on fire. 'Adora? What's wrong?'

I looked at Swift Wind, who was still looking off in a different direction. 'Uh... Swift Wind. Do you happen to have anything constructive to add?'

He looked over at me properly for the first time. I couldn't read his expression, but that unknown glint in his eyes made me uneasy. Then, as he looked at Catra, I swear I could see a smug grin spreading across his face, 'So... Uh, Catra... _Meow_.'

Catra looked dumbfounded at him, although I couldn't blame her, a horse did just say the word "Meow" at her, and not in a normal way either. 'Swifty, you didn't happen to um... form a connection with me this morning and then go round telling people what you uh... felt. Did you?'

'Haha! I am the She-Ra's mighty steed! Whenever I sense her I must form a connection to see if she is in need of my assistance!' There was a pause, 'And then, when I sense something unexpected I must investigate by asking... all her friends... what it means.' He trailed off as he finished talking, his head slowly lowered to the ground as he found a weed to absentmindedly chew.

I felt a blush spreading across my face as what he said sunk in, and I covered my face with my hands. I want to die. Then I peeked at Catra through my fingers. She looked like she was in shock. Her eyes were wide and her mouth was wide open. As colour returned to her, she turned the brightest shade of red I've ever seen. Then without warning, she dropped onto all fours and started pelting herself back toward the palace at full speed.

'Ugh! Swift Wind! We're going to talk about this!' I said before running after her.

I heard him shout after me, 'What? Was it something I said!' That's an understatement.

**

'Catra!'

I found myself narrowly avoiding passersby and jumping over carts and boxes as I raced through Bright Moon after Catra. She had managed to get onto the roofs which had following her much harder and it took all of my concentration to keep her in sight and avoid knocking people down or breaking something. It wasn't long before I realised where she was going, and focused myself on making it to the palace.

'Catra, wait!'

Swift Wind had definitely said _something_ to Scorpia and Perfuma, maybe more, about what we did this morning, but it was impossible to know exactly what he had said. He can't have said too much, right? He wouldn't do that, not to me. I forced the doubts from my mind as I raced after Catra, only just managing to keep her in sight. She really was fast when she wanted to be.

As I entered the castle, I found myself in a long hallway which stretched off in two directions – she could have gone anywhere, 'Catra! Where are you?' I looked back and forth restlessly for a moment, trying to decide which way to go. _BANG!_ A door slammed - there! I took off towards the sound and stopped outside the spare room. Or was it the prison? Doesn't matter. The door was ajar, it must have bounced open again after being slammed so hard. I took a moment to gather myself and calm my breathing before slowly pushing on the door. It was dark inside, the curtains drawn. This room hadn't been used since we held Double Trouble prisoner here after we caught them red-handed. I couldn't help but wonder what mischief they were up to now.

Catra was sat in the corner of the room, her arms around her legs, holding them to her chest. Her tail wrapped itself around her feet, her ears were low and her face was hidden from sight. I had seen her do this plenty of times, especially after being scolded by Shadow Weaver in the Fright Zone. It was an attempt to make herself as small as possible, to try and disappear. I tentatively took a step into the room, but she heard me immediately, her head snapping up to scowl at me. Her eyes ablaze in the dark. I could see that after a moment she had realised who I was. Her expression softened and she hid her face again. 'Hey, it's just me,' I whispered, slowly and quietly stepping towards her. Seeing her like this made my chest ache. She had always seemed so confident, so proud before Horde Prime took her and forced his mind into hers, making her a spectator in her own body. I slowly slid down the wall next to her and gently put my arm around her back with my hand resting on her shoulder. I whispered again, 'Hey, it's okay.'

'It's not okay.' I could barely hear her muffled voice, and now that I had my arm around her I could feel that she was shaking, her breathing erratic.

'It will be okay. I'm sure Swift Wind didn't say too much about –'

'How do you know!?' she cut me off. 'I wanted – I wanted that moment to be ours. Just ours. And now Scorpia knows. She didn't even look me in the eye.'

I took a moment to consider my response. 'I'll... I'll find Swift Wind later. I'll ask what he said to them exactly. I'm certain it won't have been that bad. It was... new, for me. And if he happened to form a connection with me while we were... I can't imagine what that would have been like for him. If it were me, I'd want to talk to someone too. Just to work out what it means.'

Catra seemed to loosen, before tightening herself up again. There was something else.

'Catra? Talk to me, please.'

'It... It's no different to the Fright Zone out there.'

'What do you mean?'

'Everyone hates me!' she snapped before letting out a cry. I held on to her, squeezing her, staying as close to her as I could. 'I don't know why I thought it would be different from the Fright Zone. Everyone whispering about me, blaming me for everything. I could hear _all_ of them. So many of the people here came from places that _I_ destroyed!' she cried again, her breathing ragged, 'I can't do anything right... I don't belong anywhere... I want to disappear...'

Tears had started falling down my cheeks as I held onto Catra. It hurt so much to see her like this. She had been through so much hell and it was catching up with her, destroying her. I couldn't lose her again.

'You can't.'

She looked at me, her eyes wide and her face soaked with tears, 'What?'

'You can't disappear. Not again... You have to stay, I need you.'

She regarded me for a moment. Then, her ears perked up a little and a smile slowly formed at the corner of her mouth. She closed her eyes and rested her forehead against mine before whispering, 'Of course I'll stay with you, dummy.'


	3. A New Quest

'Come on, Adora, you're going to be late for your _suuuper_ important Princess tea club.' Catra giggled and she ran on ahead of me toward the Princess Alliance meeting room where everyone would no doubt already be waiting.

'It's not a tea club!' I shouted back defensively, 'It's a strategy meeting.' I ran after her, trying to grab her as she sped down the hallway, 'I think.'

'Yeah, sure, whatever you say,' she continued down the hallway, keeping out of reach, 'Though I don't believe you for a second.'

The last couple of days had flown by and I had spent most of them together with Catra. I had also managed to find Swift Wind and talk with him about what happened. He explained to me that he had sensed She-Ra appear and tried to _tune-in_ to gauge what was happening in case I was in danger, but the sensations and emotional feedback he received were... not was he was expecting. And so he had started flying around asking everyone he found that he recognised what it meant. Catra and I had appeared not long after he found Scorpia and Perfuma, catching all three of them off-guard during their discussion. Us being together was definitely not a secret after that, but no one seemed surprised – apparently everyone except me had picked up on it already.

We spent most of yesterday outside the city, flying around on Swift Wind. After I explained to her that it was his way of apologising, Catra seemed to warm to him and he seemed to become protective of her in turn, no doubt responding to the way I feel about her.

As we neared the meeting room, I realised that I had barely seen anything of Glimmer, Bow and the others since we got back. I had been so enchanted by the thought of spending time alone with Catra that it hadn't even occurred to me to see how the others were doing.

Catra managed to dodge my last attempt to catch her before she bounded through the open door into the meeting room, the murmur of voices stopped almost immediately. I followed her into the room and found her stood stock-still. I looked around the meeting table counter-clockwise, there was Scorpia, Perfuma, Frosta, Mermista, Sea Hawk, Bow, Glimmer, Micah, Castaspella, Spinnerella, Netossa, Entrapta, and unexpectedly... _Hordak_. Two empty chairs remained in-between Scorpia and Hordak. Catra was staring at him in stunned disbelief, 'Why is _he_ here?' she growled, before moving forward and taking the seat next to Scorpia.

I heard Scorpia whisper, 'Hey there, Wildcat,' as I sat down in the chair between Catra and Hordak.

Catra deadpanned a 'Hey,' in response, not averting her gaze.

Entrapta rose out of her seat, but before she could speak Glimmer stood up and spoke first, ' _Hordak_ is here, for now, because he's volunteered to be _Entrapta's_ lab partner. They will be heading off to Dryl to continue their research soon.'

Catra folded her arms, glaring daggers at Hordak, who simply sat still, neither moving nor speaking. 'Yeah, sure, whatever. As long as he stays _far_ away from me.'

'I'm sure he will,' replied Glimmer. 'Now that that's out of the way... we have a few things to work through. I'll start with the matter of the Horde ships.' Bow held up his pad and pressed a button, then a hologram of the planet appeared in the centre of the table, surrounded by small red blips. 'Thank you, Bow. We received reports from across Etheria over the last couple of days that the clones have vanished. We think it's safe to assume that they have teleported back to their ships. But the fact that they're still there is a concern. Do we have any ideas?'

Mermista raised her hand, 'Yeah, why don't we just get, like, She-Ra to blast them with that massive energy beam or whatever?'

Catra laughed, 'Oh yeah, I'm all for making them burn,' she said, closing one hand into a fist.

'I'm not going to do that! I don't even know if I _can_ do that again.' I protested.

Catra turned to me, 'Why not? You saw what they did to me!'

'I saw what _Horde Prime_ did to you.'

'That's the same thing!'

'But what if it's not? I... I destroyed Prime's mind. He's gone. Without him, the hive mind that connected all his clones may have vanished too. For all we know, we have thousands of Wrong Hordak's panicking in space and questioning the meaning of life right now.'

Entrapta rose out of her seat by her hair and climbed up onto the table, looking at the hologram from all angles, 'That's a GREAT theory! Just imagine it – all those lost souls with nowhere to go, just waiting for something, anything, to give their lives meaning again. Oh, the possibilities!' she beamed a crazed smile while staring at the hologram.

Hordak rose slowly, and when he spoke it was slow, careful, considered, 'Whatever you decide to do with them, it should be soon. I know what those ships are capable of, the destruction even one can cause. If a ruthless, unknown, outside force were to get to them first, it could be catastrophic for Etheria.'

Everyone was stunned into silence by his contribution. Just the fact that Hordak, the former leader of the Horde that most of these people had been fighting for decades was stood here at the table was bizarre, but for him to offer advice?

Micah rose and addressed Hordak directly, 'You mean to say there's more out there who would wish harm to Etheria? To other worlds?'

'Without a doubt,' Hordak replied. 'Why do you suppose Horde Prime needed such an army? Just to take worlds? No. He had to both occupy _and_ defend them. Some worlds welcomed him because of the promise of protection against the greater evils. However, if all of his forces have indeed retreated back to their ships, then thousands of worlds will now be reclaiming their independence. The force that surrounds us now is but a drop in the ocean of Horde Prime's true military might. Now that Etheria, a planet overflowing with pure magic, has reappeared in the wider universe, and defeated Horde Prime, it shines like a beacon. The darkness will come, in time, like a moth to a flame.'

Hordak, Entrapta and Micah returned to their seats, the weight of this information left the air heavy in the room, and no one spoke for a moment. I looked at Catra, her eyes were wide and her ears low, could she be scared? I noticed that Melog had appeared next to her and she was absentmindedly stroking behind their ear. I reached across to her and held out my hand; her ears twitched, and she looked at it before looking at me and smiling, gently accepting my hand in hers.

'Wow. Now that's... That's pretty terrifying, actually,' Scorpia laughed nervously, 'I'm definitely going to have nightmares for like a _whole_ week now. At least.'

'Yes...' Micah agreed, 'It is definitely something that will require further discussion. We'll have to talk about this more, Glimmer.'

'If the safety of Etheria is still at risk then it should absolutely be a priority. For now though, we have to focus on rebuilding the damage we sustained from the Horde,' Glimmer cleared her throat before continuing, 'a few of you have already let me know what your plans are. Castaspella is going back to Mystacor, Frosta to the Kingdom of Snows, Mermista and Sea Hawk are returning to Salineas to lead the re-build –'

'And for a romantic _OCEAN ADVENTURE_!' Sea Hawk was suddenly stood, and planted one foot on the edge of the table.

Mermista groaned, 'Just sit down.'

Sea Hawk immediately sat down again and coughed, 'Please, Queen Glimmer, do continue.'

'Thank you, Sea Hawk.' She took a breath, 'Perfuma will be going back to Plumeria before continuing with Scorpia to the Fright Zone. All the Horde soldiers there are displaced and in disarray and will need some leadership,' she smiled at Scorpia, 'Scorpia is the descendant of those who once owned the land where the Fright Zone was built, so it's only right that she returns there as the rightful heir to the land and the Black Garnet.'

'Aw, shucks,' said Scorpia, 'I will absolutely do my best, there's a lot to do over there.'

'Spinnerella and Netossa,' continued Glimmer, 'Will be travelling to Elberon, Erelandia, and Thaymor to lend any help they can. And finally, me and my dad will be staying here in Bright Moon, I need to catch him up on all the changes he missed while he was... away.' She let out a sigh, 'I think that about covers everything. Adora, Catra, Bow and I have something to show you if you could stay behind.'

'Oooo, a secret mission? I want in!' Frosta jumped up out of her chair.

Bow stood up, flicking through information on his tracker pad, 'It's in the Crimson Waste, still want to go?'

Frosta turned to leave, 'No, that's okay. Keep your secrets.'

The rest of the Princess Alliance also stood to leave. I got up as well, letting go of Catra's hand, and thanked them all for their help, wishing them well on their new ventures. Catra remained seated.

'Look after my Wildcat for me, will ya?' said Scorpia as she gave me the biggest _crushing_ hug I've ever received.

'Will do... she's in... good hands...' I managed to get out while gasping for breath.

'Ha, I don't doubt that for a second,' she replied, putting me down. She then put an arm around Perfuma and continued towards the exit.

Glimmer and Bow were still stood on the other side of the table, looking at Bow's tracker pad. As I began walking around to them, I felt a hand grab mine. Catra had gotten up and was quietly following me around the table, I smiled and squeezed her hand, interlocking our fingers.

'So, what's happening in the Crimson Waste? Has Huntara been in touch?' I asked.

Bow put his pad down on the table before tapping a series of buttons, another hologram appeared. It was a rough map of the Crimson Waste, but it was incomplete, a large portion of it seemed corrupted. 'There's been no word from Huntara. The data shows that this area has a large amount of atmospheric disturbance and no signals can get in or out.'

'This'll be a walk in the park. Last time I was there I conquered the whole place in a day,' Catra smirked.

I squeezed her hand again, 'That was actually pretty impressive, even if you did end up capturing me and almost ending reality right after.'

She let go of my hand and turned away, 'Whatever, shut up! It worked out in the end didn't it?'

'Yeah...' I replied, 'but I don't think you can take credit for that.'

'No, she can't.' Said Glimmer, a stern tone to her voice, 'It's my mother that gets the credit for that.'

Catra's ears lowered and she glanced at Glimmer, 'I... I really am sorry, Glimmer. I'll regret that for the rest of my life.'

'It's in the past now. Make it up to me by keeping Adora safe out there.' She gave Catra a reassuring smile, and Catra returned it. 'She may need it, as we have no idea what could be wrong. I'll teleport you around here,' she pointed to one edge of the anomaly, 'and you'll have to go the rest of the way on foot. I shouldn't get lost again. See if you can find Huntara too, she may have some more information on what's going on.'

'I'll be coming along to have a close-up look at this myself and analyse the readings,' said Bow, 'It's a shame we all can't go, otherwise it would be the new best-friend squad's first official quest!'

'Wait...' I mused, 'Wouldn't we be more of a... double-date squad?' I looked between the three unimpressed faces that were staring back at me. 'O-kay, never mind,' I said, laughing nervously.

'If you two want to wait outside, we'll be along in a sec. I'm just going to say goodbye to Bow,' said Glimmer, smiling at him.

Catra and I exited the meeting room with Melog following and closed the door behind us. Catra looked puzzled, 'Wait, why do we need to leave the room for them to say goodbye?'

I shrugged, 'Maybe they're doing this,' I gently held her head in my hands and pulled her towards me. Even though I initiated the kiss, I still felt the heat rise from my stomach to my chest as I felt her warm lips on mine, the song of her purring resonating within me. She took my hands in hers and intertwined our fingers before pushing me back against the wall, a soft moan escaped from the back of my throat as she pinned my hands up either side of my head and pressed herself up against me. I could never get enough of this sensation. I never wanted it to end.

But end it did.

Catra jumped away just as the door opened, taken by surprise, as Glimmer and Bow exited the meeting room hand in hand. I quickly tried to gather myself, but I was still breathing hard and my face felt like it was on fire. 'Hey guys!' I chuckled nervously, glancing at Catra who had her back to us, hiding her face in Melog's side, 'Don't mind us, we're just standing here... In the corridor...'

'Out of breath? I didn't know standing was so tiring, you should have found a chair,' teased Glimmer, and it worked. An image of Catra straddling me on a chair and kissing me flashed into my mind, a soothing warmth briefly took over my body again for a second. I pushed down the thought – now was not the time. Glimmer laughed and took my hand, 'Ready to go?'

I felt Catra take my hand, her other hand resting on Melog's back. 'Yeah, we're ready,' I replied before we teleported away, leaving behind a quickly dissipating cloud of sparkles.


	4. The Anomaly

'Well, I definitely don't _see_ any anomaly, but my pad shows its somewhere in this direction,' said Bow, looking around and holding his tracker pad out in front of him as if it was a window through which he could see the secrets of Etheria.

Glimmer had teleported us here like she said she would before wishing us well, asking Bow to keep her updated, and swiftly teleporting back to Bright Moon to start her dad's reconditioning.

'Huh,' I said, looking around. 'I was kind of expecting it to, I don't know, _not_ look like a wasteland anymore? When I released the magic from the Heart of Etheria, everything else turned green, but this place hasn't.'

'Hmm,' Bow considered for a moment, 'Maybe this place was too far gone already? It is a wasteland after all.'

'Yeah, maybe.'

'We had better get moving,' he said, walking in the direction he had held out the pad, 'I do not want to be here for too long.' Melog ran up and started walking alongside him and I began to follow.

'Adora, wait.' I turned to see Catra stood still, her tail wrapped round her legs and her ears low, 'I just... I want to apologise.'

I smiled and held out my hand to her, 'C'mon, we can't fall behind.' She accepted my hand in hers and we walked together a few paces behind, 'So, what's up?'

She took a moment to gather her thoughts, 'I've been a mess these past few days. I've had so many conflicting thoughts and emotions and I... I'm struggling to process it all.'

'You can take as long as you need,' I reply, 'I'll always be here to talk, if you need it. You've been through a lot. It'll will take time to adjust.'

'Yeah... Thanks, Adora.'

'Anytime.'

She took a breath. 'There's one other thing.'

'Shoot.'

'Are we... good? As in... _us_.'

I frowned, 'I think so, why?'

'It's just...' She rubbed her forehead with her free hand, 'That kiss... in the corridor just now. That's the first time you kissed me since that whole thing with your magic horse a couple days ago. But when you did it, I realised how much I had been... how much I... and, I lost myself in it. In... you.' She looked away, hiding her face again.

I smiled, so that's why she pinned me to the wall. 'So what you're saying is, I should kiss you more?'

I felt her tense up as her grip on my hand tightened, 'What! No! Get over yourself...'

I laughed, 'So I shouldn't kiss you?'

'No I... Ugh! This isn't easy for me to talk about...'

'Catra, believe me, if I kissed you every time I wanted to we'd never get anything done.'

She looked at me then in a way that almost made my chest burst. Her face had turned bright red and she was biting her lower lip, her eyes pleaded with me. _I win_.

'You want me to kiss you right now?' I whispered.

She nodded, her lips parting in anticipation.

I felt a smug expression creep onto my face, 'I don't know... We did _just_ kiss back in Bright Moon...' There was a huge part of me that would absolutely have kissed her right then and there but another part, the part that won, wanted to play the long game to see what she would do if I dragged this out.

She let out the breath that she had been holding, 'You're so not fair...'

I laughed, 'I'll make it up to you, I promise.'

'You better.'

**

We continued like that for a while longer, traversing the dry sun-scorched landscape and being careful to avoid the patches of quicksand that littered the valleys. After all, Glimmer wasn't there to teleport us out of them should we misstep and be pulled in. I shuddered as I remembered the time I dove into a pool of quicksand after Glimmer, only for her to teleport out and then have to rescue me. I pushed the thought down and looked out across the arid landscape that stretched on for miles in all directions. Something nagged at me, but I couldn't put my finger on it. 'It doesn't feel right...', I said to myself.

'Huh?' Catra asked, re-entering the world from her daydream.

'Nothing... or, I think it's nothing. Something just seems off about this place.'

Bow had stopped walking and must have heard me, because he replied once we had caught up to him, 'I _think_ I may know what it is...' He squeaked, staring ahead.

I looked over his shoulder and whistled at the sight in front of us. Melog was stood sniffing what must have been a large, thriving cluster of cactuses that now looked deathly brown, sagging across the rough terrain and looking almost... _drained._ 'Well... that could mean anything, right? A few dead plants?' I reasoned, not wanting to base any theories on one patch of dead foliage in an expansive wasteland.

'Uh, Adora?' I hadn't noticed Catra let go of my hand, but she was now stood a short distance away up a slope to the right, looking back at me. 'It's not just those, and it's not just the plants.'

I joined her on the slope and looked out across the landscape. She was right, every cactus looked the same as the cluster Bow had found, but there were also the dried remains of scary looking creatures of every size polka dotting the crimson expanse. 'How did we miss this?' I ask as Melog jumps up next to us and starts to investigate some of the smaller critters.

'It must be something to do with the anomaly,' said Bow, walking round in front of us and holding up his tracker pad for us to see, the screen crackling with some kind of interference but just managing to hold the image of the map. 'According to this, we're pretty far inside it. It must somehow be affecting what we can see? Like a mirage – I wonder if it's a side effect of whatever is going on here,' he mused, scratching his head.

Catra bobbed down as Melog returned to her, nuzzling into her side and making those chirruping sounds, 'Looks like none of us noticed, including Melog.' Catra's ears suddenly twitched and she stood bolt upright, Melog entering into a defensive stance in front her, glowing bright red and snarling, 'Something's coming,' she said, looking around frantically, 'There!'

My eyes followed the direction she was pointing, and sure enough a huge mass was hurtling towards us across the dunes, kicking up a small sandstorm in its wake. 'Stay back!' I shouted before jumping forward and running straight toward the massive creature, holding my open palm out above me. As She-Ra's sword appears in my hand I yell, 'For the honour of Grayskull!' The familiar bright light envelops me, and I feel myself becoming taller, stronger, faster as the new She-Ra form takes hold. I leap into the air with ease, aiming my sword right at the beast's head as I begin my descent – but it doesn't connect, instead my sword is buried into the ground as a cloud of sand erupts around me. I cover my eyes as I wait for it to settle, regretting my impulsive decision to try pulling off a leap in the desert. As the cloud dissipates, I don't have to look far before I spot the toothy maw that had just been boring down on us. It had stopped moving just ahead of me and lay lifeless on the ground, its long body stretching off behind the dune ahead. I stood in front of it, stunned, watching as its body started to _deflate_ in front of me.

'Adora!' I heard Catra shout before I heard Melog running up behind me, but I didn't look away. 'Adora! You have to stop jumping straight into... Whoa. What did you do?'

I looked toward her voice, she was sat up on Melog's back, staring at the corpse of the massive desert snake that lay dead at my feet. 'It wasn't me.'

'What? What do you mean it wasn't you?'

I looked down at it again as Catra slid down from Melog's back, 'I mean I didn't even touch it. It just... _died.'_ Melog was now sniffing the creature, and Catra seemed to be listening. 'What's Melog saying?' I ask.

Catra stroked their glowing blue mane, 'They say that... the life force? Taken? Its life force has been forcibly taken.'

'Well that doesn't sound good,' I state, shrinking back down to my regular size before bending down to get a closer look at the monstrous creature. Each of its teeth were as long and sharp as daggers, its eyes the size of my fist, its scales a deep orange but with what appears to be a reflective sheen. I reach out and touch one curiously, gasping as it fell loose, landing upright in the sand. It shimmered as I picked it up and looked it over in my hand. It was about as wide as one of Entrapta's tiny cupcakes and had a good weight to it, the surface glossy and incredibly smooth to the touch.

'Hey! Adora! Get up here!' Catra had followed Melog up the crimson sand dune that the snake creature had surmounted before coming to a grisly halt. I pocketed the scale before climbing up after them, Bow following not far behind. 'Look over there.'

Bow held his hand up to try and block the sun from his eyes, 'It looks like –'

'A First One's ruin!' I beamed, spotting the familiar dark shape of a spire against the hue of its surroundings before looking at Catra excitedly. She gave me a soft smile in return, placing a hand on my cheek and gently bringing our foreheads together. I could feel her breath on my face, her warmth through her hand. She moved forward, closing her eyes, and her soft lips gently brushed against mine as she started _purring_. I could feel myself wanting to kiss her, I wanted to so badly, the longing for her lips on mine building up inside me the longer we stayed like this. I almost gave in. But then I remembered what I had said just after we arrived, _I'll make it up to you, I promise._ I felt a smirk encroaching on the edges of my mouth, because I knew what I had meant by that and I wanted to keep her waiting. I wanted to build up this feeling within her, within me, the feeling of _needing_ the other. I placed a finger to her lips, and a shiver crawled up my spine as I heard a whimper of protest sound from deep within her. She opened her eyes, staring straight into mine, pleading with me. 'Not yet,' I whispered, running my fingers through her hair before cupping her head in my hand, 'I promised I'll make it up to you, and I will. But not yet.'

'Argh!' She growled, moving swiftly away from our embrace, 'You can't keep doing this to me, Adora!' Melog turned red and spiky behind her as she tried to calm herself down, taking deep breaths as they nudged her leg. She looked back up at me after Melog returned to their usual blue with a neutral expression, speaking in a flat voice, 'It's not fair.'

I chuckled at her sudden change in tone, 'It's not easy for my either,' I said moving toward her before grabbing her wrist and pulling her close, my lips against her ear. 'I want you so much it _hurts_ ,' I whispered, dragging out the last word and smiling as I felt her physically shiver against me and saw her tail fritz up behind her; a quiet moan following, escaping from somewhere deep inside.

'If you two are quite done...' said Bow, bringing us back to reality.

I laughed as I saw Catra's bright red face before she turned around, flattening down the hair on her fritzed tail with one smooth motion. 'Sorry Bow, what you got?'

'Nothing on the pad, the data is still too garbled from all the interference. But have a look through these,' he said, handing me his binoculars.

Looking at the spire through the binoculars, it definitely resembled other First Ones temples that we had found, but this one seemed to spread out at the top forming a kind of funnel shape. Then I noticed what Bow was likely showing me. Not far from the spire there was a wispy thin plume of smoke trailing up into the sky, 'Smoke!' I exclaimed.

'Mmhmm,' hummed Bow in agreement.

'That must mean someone is there already.' I lowered the binoculars, handing them back to Bow. 'Could it be Huntara?'

'It's more than likely.' He agreed, scanning the horizon one last time with the binoculars, 'We've not seen her in a while. But if she has taken over this place again, she'd definitely be where the trouble is.'

'Okay, let's get to it.' I looked over at Catra, who was bobbed down looking off into the distance, making trails with her index finger in the sand. 'Hey, Catra? You good to go?'

She took a deep breath before standing up and looking me dead in the eye with a determined stare, 'Let's get this over with. You owe me, princess.' She said, prodding me in the chest before starting to trudge off toward the spire, kicking sand as she went. Melog and Bow not far behind.

I felt a smirk encroach on my face and chuckled before making my way down the slope after them. A yell almost escaped me as I tripped over my own feet, flapping my arms to steadily myself. Melog looked back briefly but quickly moved on – Catra and Bow hadn't noticed. I breathed a sigh of relief before making my way after them, being extra careful not to fall over anything else.


	5. By the Light of the Campfire

'So you just thought it would be a great idea to wander into the Crimson Waste with no gear, no food, no water? I swear, I don't know _how_ you've survived this long. If everything here weren't already dead, this place would have chewed you up and spat you out long ago.'

I listened to Huntara's lecture while guzzling mouthfuls of water between stuffing my face with delicious mystery meat she had given us. It was much later now and the Wastes and grown dark. We had immensely underestimated just how far the spire was, and when I first caught the whiff of cooking meat I had actually started crying. Now Bow, Catra and I were sat on rocks around a campfire ravenously digging into the meat that Huntara's gang were roasting over a larger fire a short distance away. I didn't care what kind of freaky desert creature the meat was from and judging by its taste I didn't want to know, but right then and there and I could have eaten anything. I looked over as Catra flung a spare chunk of her food at Melog, who caught it and gulped it down in one.

Once the lecture was over, Huntara sat down opposite us and held a lizard on a stick over the fire. 'So,' she began, slowly spinning the lizard, 'All that aside, I'm guessing you're here for this thing.' She jabbed a thumb over her shoulder toward the spire behind her. Now that I could see it up close it really was impressive, and far taller than it had looked through the binoculars when I first saw it, the glowing blue markings on its exterior singling it out against the dark sky. It was unmistakably a First Ones temple, and I had seen enough of them by now to know that this one was definitely active.

Bow answered first, 'We think so, we had no idea what we were looking for when we first arrived. The only clue was a large area of the Crimson Waste that had been hidden by some kind of interference on our maps.'

Huntara sighed and observed us solemnly, 'I'm not even going to go into how stupid it was to come here, not only without supplies, but without knowing where you were going either. You kids must have one hell of a death wish.'

I finished my food and washed it down with the last of the water in my flask, 'I have a question,' I began, holding my hand in the air. 'Did you happen to notice any magic returning to the Wastes sometime in the last few days? I kind of released the magic from the Heart of Etheria and while it's helped the rest of the planet thrive this place... seems deader than ever.'

She looked at me quizzically for a second, then scoffed, 'Nope.'

'What? Nothing? Nothing at all?'

'So this place wasn't affected by She-Ra unleashing thousands of years of built up magic _at all?_ ' Asked Bow, he had also finished eating now and was eagerly listening to the conversation.

Huntara took a bite out of the small lizard creature, spitting out a couple of small bones, 'Well... now that I think about it... the sky _was_ filled with a kind of sparkly... glow? That was just before all those pointy eared Horde doppelgängers up and vanished. But that didn't last long.'

I frowned, 'What happened to it? Where'd it go?'

'Hmm... That's actually why we're here at this thing. One of my people said they saw it rise out of the ground on its own. Then they saw the top open up, as it is now, and it sucked up what I guess was your magic.' She started using one of the more angular bones to pick at her teeth. 'We've been digging ever since, trying to find a way in and scavenge for loot.'

'Great, so the temples can suck magic out of the sky now.' Catra groaned, rolling her eyes.

'I've been wondering this for a while, but why are you even here, _Kitten?_ You left everything in quite the mess after your last visit. Got quite the stomach on you to show your face around here again.'

Catra burst into laughter, 'A mess?If anything I tidied this place up. Unified it under one banner. That's something you could never do on your own.'

Huntara stood up, towering over the fire, and throwing down her now burnt lizard, 'Maybe it didn't need unifying. There's a way of doing things, of operating out here, and you messed it all up!'

Catra sprung to her feet baring teeth and claws, followed quickly by a growling Melog who lit up the surrounding area in red light, 'If you've got a problem with me, I'll take you on right here!'

'I'd like to see you try, _kitty cat_!'

Just as Catra was about to pounce I jumped forwards and grabbed her by the waist, holding her back, 'Catra! No! She's on our side!'

'Adora! Let go! She's asking for it!

I moved in front of her, blocking her path, 'Let it go, Catra! She's one of us!'

'Get out of the way!' She moved to try and get past me, but I was faster. I caught her head in my hands and brought her face to mine, planting my lips on hers. She stopped immediately, a surprised moan sounding in her throat as her eyes went wide and stared into mine. Steadily I felt her relax, her claws retracted and Melog turned back to their neutral blue colour. Then she closed her eyes, and another, softer moan sounded within her as she kissed me back, steadily pressing herself against me and wrapping her arms around me, her hands on my shoulder blades keeping me close. I must have lost myself as she returned the kiss because suddenly our lips were parted, and our tongues had found one another. In that moment I forgot about everything else, completely losing myself in Catra, her lips, her tongue, her warmth, and the warmth that she caused to rise up within me.

Bow coughed. 'Um, guys?'

I broke from the kiss, watching as Catra tried to follow my lips and catch them again. She still wanted more. I felt myself blush before smugly grinning at Bow, 'Hey, what's up?' I asked before laughing awkwardly, my hands travelling down to rest on Catra's waist.

Catra laughed and buried her face in my shoulder, 'You're such an idiot.'

'Wow,' I heard from behind me, 'Now that... I was not expecting.' Huntara had sat back down again, an expression somewhere between surprise and bewilderment plastered all over her face. 'Seems like not that long ago you two were at each other's throats trying to off one another and now you're... _in_ each other's throats. How'd that happen?'

I laughed as I steered Catra back to the rocks we had been sat on. I sat on down on my rock first before scooching back slightly, and guiding Catra to sit between my legs, which she reluctantly did. I smiled and wrapped my arms around her from behind, holding her close and burying my face in the back of her neck before softly planting one kiss after another just below her hairline.

'Well...' answered Bow, 'It's been a long time coming, actually. Glimmer and I were pretty convinced there was something there after we rescued Catra from Horde Prime's flagship.'

A contented purr had started to sound within Catra, and she leant her head back against my shoulder and closed her eyes. She gasped quietly as I started kissing around her ear, and I noticed her fangs pressing against her lower lip.

'Huh. The flagship? You went up there, in Space?'

'Yeah...' continued Bow. 'It was a whole thing; we were gone for a while and when we got back most of our friends had been chipped and were being controlled by Horde Prime.'

Catra's hands moved to rest on my thighs either side of her, and I felt her claws start to dig in and her breathing become more ragged as I started kissing down her neck.

'Yeah I know the feeling,' said Huntara, rubbing the back of her neck where the chip had been. 'Uh, well... I had asked one of my guys to set you up with three tents for you to rest in after your journey while we carried on digging through the night while it's colder, but by the looks of _them_ I guess you'll only be needing two.'

Suddenly Catra sat bolt upright and jabbed me just below my ribs with her elbow, 'Adora!'

'OW!' I laughed before squeezing my arms around her tighter as she tried to escape.

'Adora! Let me go!'

'Never!'

I heard Bow audibly sigh, 'I should have seen this coming, although I'm sure that Glimmer will love hearing all about this.'

**

After a while, Huntara got sick of watching me relentlessly tease Catra, shooing us off in the direction of the tents to get some sleep while she re-joined the dig. We found the tents without much difficulty, set up a short distance away from the rest of the makeshift camp that Huntara's gang had been temporarily living out of while they dug up the First Ones ruin seeking treasure. They were much smaller than I had been expecting, with just enough room for two regular sized people to lay down side-by-side, or one Huntara. The walls of the tents seemed to be made of some old, stitched together sun-bleached leather, and as Huntara had said there were three here arranged in a rough semi-circle.

'We really should get some rest,' said Bow, heading to the tent on the left, 'Who knows what we'll find when they finish digging up that ruin.

'Whatever it is it can't be good; I've never heard of anything sucking up magic from the air before.' I replied, looking back at the partially illuminated spire behind us.

Bow yawned, 'Well as far as I'm concerned, that's a problem for future Bow. I'm going to _try_ to get some sleep now. Please don't be loud,' he said while disappearing inside the tent.

'We won't!' I called as his tent door flapped shut, then I looked at Catra, putting my hand on her shoulder before whispering, 'What do you say we get comfy and I make good on my promise?'

She had been quiet for a while, stood with her arms crossed frowning at the floor, 'Just... choose a tent, Adora! I'll sleep in the other one...'

I smirked, 'Okay. Alright,' I said, opening the door of the tent on the right, 'It's your loss though.'

Catra moved up, silently entering the middle tent. I smiled to myself before entering my tent. There was enough room inside to stand, which I was thankful for, and I took my belt, jacket and boots off before letting down my hair. I quickly stuck my head out the entrance to my tent, watching as Melog curled up outside of Catra's.

'Goodnight, Catra,' I sang towards her tent. I heard a muffled "whatever" in response. I couldn't stop smiling to myself. Catra was conflicted. On one hand, she wanted to get back at me for teasing her all day, but on the other... I laid down on the floor of the tent, closing my eyes with my hands behind my head. There was no duvet, mattress or anything soft for that matter, but I had slept exclusively on hard surfaces in the Horde for most of my life so this was nothing new. I wondered if what I was thinking was right, that Catra would give in and come over to my tent. I had picked the one farthest from Bow on purpose, but I wondered if she noticed. As if on cue, I heard a frustrated shout followed by the flapping of a tent door. I beamed a dorky grin while leaning up onto my elbows just as Catra burst into my tent. She looked _mad_.

'Not. A. Word,' she growled.

'I mean, I didn't – I didn't say anything.' I could feel that I was still grinning. _I win_.

Catra started moving towards me, 'I mean it, Adora.' She positioned herself over me, her feet either side of my waist, and looked down at me, 'If you so much as utter another word, I'm leaving.' I flattened myself onto my back and looked up at her. I could barely see in the darkness, the only light was a faint blue-orange glow seeping through the entrance of the tent, a combination of the glow from the various fires around the camp and the spire that stretched into the sky.

As I stared at her eyes, glowing in the shadows, it occurred to me that Catra could see just fine in this light, so I didn't take any chances. I held my tongue, instead biting my lower lip, playing along with her as she slowly lowered herself on top of me. I felt her warmth course through me as she finally straddled my waist, and a shiver sped up my spine. Then her hands grabbed my wrists and held them either side of my head, and suddenly her face was inches away and I could feel her breath on me, her eyes glaring into mine. 'You've been teasing me all day. Screw your promise, Princess. I'm taking what I'm owed,' she whispered, leaning down to my ear and nibbling it gently, 'And you're going to lay here, be quiet, and take responsibility.' A whimper escaped from deep in my throat as her words caused an ache of yearning to flare within me. Catra moved back so she was looking into my eyes, a fierce blaze raging behind them, 'Do we have an understanding?' I kept my mouth shut, not daring to make a sound, and nodded quickly.

She licked her lips and smiled, 'Good.'


	6. HmmHmHm

'Rise and shine, Cupcakes!'

Huntara's nearby shouting forcibly roused me from my dream and I immediately forgot what it was about, feeling a twinge of loss shoot through me as I desperately tried to hold on to it. I felt like I could have slept for hours more, but the light and the breeze that filtered in through the entrance of the tent carried the warmth of the morning sun with them. I took a deep breath, struggling to fill my lungs all the way, and then I saw why. Catra was laying half-on me, her right arm across my chest and her right leg in-between both of mine, her head cocooned between my shoulder and my neck. She was purring gently, far gone in a deep sleep. I soon realised that I couldn't feel or move my right arm at all, which told me we must have been laid like this all night. With my left hand, I gently ran my fingers along the short, but extremely soft fur on Catra's arm, tracing the darker patches with my index finger. We were both in our underwear, Catra's was much more military looking than mine, almost identical to our old Horde-standard shorts and sports bras, whereas I wore much comfier shorts that I had found once and stocked up on from a stall in Bright Moon's market as well as a sports bra that wasn't too dissimilar to Catra's. 

Had I not pointed out to Catra last night that there was, in fact, no way to actually seal the entrance to our tent and Melog on guard wasn't enough we would have absolutely woken up naked. A small detail that I was pleased about because, just as I was starting to feel Catra join the waking world from me stroking her arm, Huntara leant into our tent, two pans in hand, and started clanging them together as hard as she could. The sound was deafening and caused Catra to immediately leap into a defensive stance above me, hissing with teeth and claws bared before getting overwhelmed by the noise and flattening her ears to her head.

Huntara burst into a raucous laughter, finding her little stunt incredibly funny, 'Come on, sleepy heads, we think we've found the entrance to that thing, your friend Bow's already there.' Then she left, her laughter steadily getting quieter as she moved further away.

'Aww, were you protecting me?' I beamed a dorky grin at Catra as she stood over me, wiping the sleep from her eyes.

'What! No! I - Shut up!'

I laughed and held out my left hand to her, 'Help me up, my other arm's dead.'

'Dead? What happened to it?' She grasped my hand and pulled me up, and I started rubbing some life back into my floppy arm.

'I think you were sleeping on it all night, it's okay though, you looked super comfy and adorable, so I forgive you for partially paralysing me.' I cupped her face with my working hand and kissed her softly on the lips.

As I pulled away to find my clothes, still willing my right arm back to life and feeling the first tingling sensation run down it as my circulation returned. I noticed that Catra's stunned expression at the sudden show of affection didn't last long, her smile forming a fiendish grin. 'Is that all? I thought it might have been a lasting effect.' Images from the night before suddenly flashed through my mind, stopping me from concentrating on what I was doing. Then I felt one of Catra's nails slowly trailing up my back, and heard her voice by my ear, 'Because as I remember it, Princess, you couldn't move for a _looong_ time.'

'Mmm,' I hummed contentedly, as more vivid imagery and sensations flooded my senses. 'Catra... we have to get ready or Huntara will –'

Suddenly she cupped my face with her hand, her thumb on one cheek and her fingers on the other, before spinning me round so I was looking directly into her eyes, 'And who gave you permission to speak, Adora?'

I snorted a laugh before giving in, wrapping my arms around her and pulling her close, my heart fluttering as our lips touched once again.

**

Huntara looked over at us as we descended into the hole they had dug around the base of the spire. Its circumference was a good distance from the spire itself, and the walls weren't too steep. The inclusion of a makeshift scrap metal and bone ladder made it much easier to get down, however. Catra and I both using it in turn. Melog was able to effortlessly jump down without assistance, of course.

'Took you long enough.' Huntara began, 'What, have you forgotten how to get up and get dressed quickly? I know you're both ex-Horde, so unless you liked getting an earful you must have been fast at some point.'

'Hmm Hmm Hmm,' I nodded and hummed my agreement.

Catra looked at me, puzzled. 'Uh, yeah we uh... were just getting dressed. Although using pans is new, and loud. And I thought wake up calls in the Horde were bad...'

'Ha! Where do you think I got my inspiration?'

Bow was stood next the unearthed entrance to the spire, trying to scan it with his tracker pad but having little luck. Melog had walked over to look at the door while Catra and Huntara spoke, and Bow looked over to us when he noticed them. 'Adora!' He called, walking over to join us, 'Do you think you can open it?'

'Hmmm,' I walked to the door and looked it over, this one didn't say "Eternia" like some of the others, instead it said... "sanctuary"? I stuck a thumbs up toward the group. Catra was eyeing me suspiciously, and I tried not to break into a wild grin. If she hadn't noticed what I was doing yet, she was certainly about to. I took a step back from the door and tried to say "sanctuary" without opening my mouth, but what I actually sounded like was, 'HmmHmHmmHm!' I burst out laughing and fell to the floor, clutching my stomach.

'Ugh...' Catra hid her face behind her hand, which only made me laugh harder, 'Adora! Give it a rest already!'

'Hmm?' I looked over at her with a questioning look on my face.

She growled and walked over to me before kneeling and looking down at me. I looked up at her, returning her gaze. 'You can speak, Adora.'

I sat up and whispered, 'Do you give me permission?'

Catra blushed and whispered back, 'Yes, dummy. Now get on with it!'

'Hmm. Thank you, my love.' I said, pecking her on the cheek before standing up. I knew for a fact it was the first time I've called her that and couldn't help but smile when I saw she was still knelt down, frozen in shock, her tail all fritzed behind her.

'What the heck was that all about?' Huntara directed the question at Bow, but he just held his hands out and shrugged, none the wiser.

I smiled the most devious of smiles. 'Oh sorry about that guys. Catra just had to give me permission to speak again...'

'WHAT! No! Adora!'

'HA!' Huntara started laughing at the top of her voice, 'Permission! I like the sound of that, Kitten, I'll have to try that myself.'

Bow had his head in his hands, 'Why me?'

Catra groaned before standing up and shooting me a death glare, which was less impactful than I assume she hoped it would be with her face as red as the sandstone around us. I mouthed "I love you" toward her, and her expression softened for the briefest of moments before she huffed and turned away. Knowing that I could get through her defences even a little just by mouthing words was enough for me though, and I moved to stand in front of the spire's entrance once again.

I took a moment to breathe and calm myself, before speaking the First One's password written on the door as clear as I could, 'Sanctuary!'

I couldn't help but gasp as the floor before me became a ramp leading down into the ruin, stepping forward to get a better look inside when it had finished rising. The basic interior looked like that of all the First Ones ruins I had been to before – all featuring blue and purple, all being made out of chiselled stone and metal, and all with those blue lines that pulsed with energy – with one distinct difference. It was overgrown with magical plants, the likes of which I hadn't seen until Madame Razz first took me to the deepest part of the Whispering Woods. The blue light from the patterns on the walls was almost lost in the light of all the glowing plants that lined the edges of the corridor, as well as the light from the magic that lingered in the air. Some of the wisps escaped from the corridor, floating up and around us as we stood gawking at this unexpected discovery.

'Well that's... new,' said Bow, stepping forward and standing to my right. 'Not only was the password _not_ "Etheria" for once, but the inside looks like the Whispering Woods.'

'Yeah, I think we know where all the magic went that this place... collected. But why?'

Catra moved to my left and took a look down the ramp before us, 'I've got a weird feeling about this.' Melog nudged into her leg and she listened as they chirruped at her.

I looked at Catra expectantly, meeting her eyes, 'Oh, uh... they say that while it does look pretty, it feels sinister. Reminds them of some beautiful flower that used to bloom on Krytis that was actually carnivorous.'

Bow sighed, 'Well that's put a downer on the pretty magical corridor. Now it's the pretty magical corridor that's going to _eat_ us.'

'Well...' I said, taking the first step down the ramp, 'Weirder things have happened.'

Catra followed me down the ramp first, followed by Bow who was fiddling with his tracker pad again. As we got to the bottom of the ramp, I realised that Huntara and Melog weren't with us. Looking back, they were still at the top of the ramp, looking unsure. 'Are you coming?' I asked, but just as Huntara was about to respond the entrance sealed itself, followed by a distinct _clunk_ of a lock engaging.

'Uh... what just happened?' Bow asked, looking up toward where the ramp was.

Catra sighed, 'Oh great... Melog was right, this place is bad news.'

I stepped forward, 'No it should be alright, right?' I cleared my throat, 'Sanctuary!'

Nothing happened.

I continued, 'Eternia!... She-Ra!... Mara!... Serenia!... Uh, cape?'

'Adora, stop just shouting random words!' said Catra, laughing.

'She's got a point,' Bow agreed, 'That has never worked in the past.'

I shrugged, 'I guess we go on then. I'm sure it's fine. It'll be fine. Being locked in is fine. First Ones temples like to start collapsing when their entrances lock, but that won't happen again.' I said while laughing nervously.

'We'll be okay,' Catra reassured me, holding my hand and interlacing our fingers, 'Because we're all together.' She caught Bow grinning at her, 'Or, y'know, whatever...'

'Just as a precaution,' Bow began, 'Here's some earpieces in case we get separated. If the temple can lock its own front door who knows what else it might pull.'

'Good idea,' I said, taking one and passing the other to Catra before putting mine in my ear.

Walking down the corridor steadily become more difficult the further we travelled, the mass of magical foliage growing thicker step by step. I had also noticed that the glow from the plants all around us grew brighter as we passed by them, the wisps flying around us as if dancing with giddy excitement. Bow suddenly stopped walking and stared down at his tracker pad as I heard a familiar voice sound from it, steadily becoming less distorted.

'Bow!?'

'Glimmer!' Bow shouted before hugging the device to his chest.

'Bow! It's so good to see you, I've been trying to reach you all morning!'

'The signal must be getting stronger the further into the temple we travel. Glimmer, I've got so much to catch you up on that you wouldn't believe - but could you _please_ tell Adora and Catra to stop teasing each other for five minutes? It was adorable at first, I'll grant them that, but now I'm just uncomfortable.' He spun the tracker pad round to face us and Glimmer burst into a grin.

She waved wildly, 'Hi, Adora! Hi, Horde Scum.'

'Hi, Glimmer!'

'Hey, Sparkles.'

'Aaah! You're holding hands!'

I smirked, 'That's not all we've been doing.'

'Adora!' Catra let go of my hand and walked over to a wall, leaning her back against it and looking down the corridor, hiding her face.

Glimmer squealed, 'Adora,' all of a sudden, she changed tone and spoke more calmly, sort of reminding me of the way her mother spoke, 'As Queen, I formally request that upon your return to Bright Moon we convene for a private meeting where you will tell. Me. EVERYTHING!'

I bowed deeply, 'A-yes, your Majesty.'

Bow turned the pad back around, 'Glimmer! Don't encourage them! I've already seen too much!'

'Aww, let them have their fun, Bow.'

He sighed, 'Fine.'

Without warning I heard an abrupt yell from behind me and just managed to catch sight of Catra as she disappeared into the wall she had been leaning against, the edges of her form framed by a golden light. 'Catra!' I yelled, immediately running towards what I recognised as an illusionary wall like those we encountered on Krytis. I heard Bow shout something behind me, but I didn't stop to think or listen before throwing myself through it after her.


	7. Focus

'For the honour of Grayskull!'

I shouted the words quickly as I realised I was falling into darkness as a result of leaping through the wall after Catra, feeling the light and strength of She-Ra envelop me. I had hoped I could catch her, hold on to her, pull her back through. But I was too late and now I had no idea where she was. I couldn't see her anywhere. I couldn't see anything around me at all. Everything was pitch black and I felt wind rushing against me as I seemed to be falling forever. I brought my arms up to shield my face, expecting to hit solid ground at any moment. But no ground came, nothing except the feeling of falling, the feeling of the wind making my hair flap around violently behind me, the thunderous sound of it filling my ears.

'...dora?'

I heard something. Something faint through the deafening sound of the wind.

'...Adora?'

There it was again, slightly louder. Someone was saying my name, but I couldn't tell where from. The darkness seemed to stretch on forever.

'Adora!'

Catra! It was Catra's voice! I could hear her clearly now. Where was she? I frantically looked around, trying to see where her voice was coming from.

'ADORA! Snap out of it!'

I suddenly felt hands on me, shaking my shoulders and my eyes snapped open. I immediately jumped up, breathing heavily and looking around - Catra! She was here! I wrapped my arms around her and held her close to me as I tried to control my breathing.

'Adora! What's wrong? Calm down! Haaaaaa- can't breathe! Breath! Need air!'

I relaxed my arms and Catra filled her lungs once again. 'Sorry... I... I don't...' I tried to get the words out but couldn't.

'It's okay, we're okay.'

I took a deep breath, resting my forehead against hers, 'What happened?'

I felt her hand reach up and gently rub my cheek, 'I found you here – you looked asleep, but you were writhing around like you were having a nightmare.'

'What do you mean you found me here?'

'Exactly that, Dummy. I've been wandering around this place for a while, but I think it's leading me in circles. I've definitely passed by this area before, but you weren't here then.'

'You've been here a while? It felt like I only just arrived.'

It was only then that I stood to my full height and looked around. It looked exactly like the Whispering Woods; tall, winding trees stretched upwards towards the canopy, all kinds of plants and mushrooms glowing with magic densely populated the soft, damp ground, and the light of golden wisps danced between the trees. I even caught sight of a few other magical creatures darting between the undergrowth. 'Is this a memory? Or another illusion?'

Catra buried her face in my chest and wrapped her arms around me. I looked down at her, in this form she only stood as high as my shoulders and I smiled at the reminder of just how small she was. Small, but fierce, strong, fast, and brave beyond belief. 'Hey,' I asked, running a hand through her hair, 'Are you okay?'

She squeezed me gently, 'I am now. I'm glad you're here. I thought I was on my own. I can't believe you followed me through that wall, you're _such_ an idiot.' She chuckled.

'Yeah, I know.' I wrapped my arms around her, 'And now that I've got you, I'm not letting you out of my sight.'

'I can live with that.'

Not long after that, having stayed in that position in each other's arms for a short while, it occurred to me that we should both still be wearing the earpieces that Bow had given us as we entered the temple. 'Oh! Catra, have you heard anything from Bow? Did he follow me?'

'Hmm. No, I tried to contact you and Bow when I first fell in here through that wall, but I didn't get any responses. That's when I started walking. In _circles,_ apparently.'

'So you just fell over? There was no endless void?'

'What are you talking about? I just fell through that rude wall. Then when I opened my eyes, I was in the middle of what I thought was the Whispering Woods. I can't find the wall I fell through anywhere.'

'Did you just call a _wall_ rude?'

'If I ever lean against you and you let me fall, I'll call you rude too.'

**

Subterranean magical forests are not my specialty, but this one could definitely take top spot. It was completely undisturbed, untouched, and overflowing with magical energy. Once again, the plants and wisps seemed to be brighter and dancing around us as we picked our path through the woodland. I heard something to my right and stopped to look - a curious four-legged, three tailed green creature stared at me with three eyes through the undergrowth, before skipping away as I noticed it.

'Are you going to stay as She-Ra the whole time we're here?' Catra asked, a little further ahead now.

'Yeah,' I said, glancing back, 'We don't know what...'

As I looked at her I realised something - something that would never have occurred to me if I wasn't stood far enough away from Catra to see it. The patch of forest where I was stood looked dark compared to the luminosity that surrounded Catra, the wisps dancing around her as if she were a bonfire and this was the biggest party they had ever been to. I felt my pulse quicken as I saw her, surrounded by the magical light. She looked beautiful, the glow highlighting different areas of her body as the wisps twirled about her form. Catra looked back, and caught my gaze, her eyes shining like stars. Then she smiled, and it sent shockwaves through my heart.

'What's wrong? Cat got your tongue?' She laughed, 'You look like you've seen a ghost.'

I stumbled over my words as I tried to speak, 'I... Uh... You... You're beautiful... No, I meant to say - well, you are, but, uh - look around you!'

She blushed, looking around her, 'What's wrong? These things have been around me the whole time.' As she held her hand out, a group of wisps settled in her palm, one after another.

'Yeah, but, look at me! I'm She-Ra and they're ignoring me.'

Catra chuckled, 'What, are you jealous? These little light things like _me_ more than _you,_ Adora. What a shame.'

I sighed, 'No, Catra, I'm saying there must be a reason. Right?'

'Oh, so you're saying there has to be a reason why I'm getting more attention than you in a magical forest?'

'Well... Yeah?'

She considered for a second, 'You may have a point. If there is one, I am _not_ looking forward to finding out what it is.'

I smirked, 'Unless everything in here really does just find you as attractive as I do.'

'I am not cute!'

'I didn't say you were cute. You did.'

'No I didn't!'

'Well, you must have been thinking it, because that's not what I said.' The wisps in Catra's hand flew out erratically as she covered her face and I couldn't help but laugh, 'You almost crushed your little light things!'

She groaned, 'I just want this place to stop leading me in circles and show me a way out!'

A light suddenly shone through the trees ahead of Catra, I could feel the amusement on my face and made no effort to hide it. 'Catra, you just asked the forest to show you the way out - and it did!' I moved over to her, finding her annoyed expression priceless.

'Whatever, let's just go look.'

We made our way through more undergrowth and dense glowing foliage, eventually coming across a patch of ground that was apparently untouched by the magical forest that surrounded it. It was purple, with glowing angular blue lines threading through it at sharp angles, unmistakeably part of the First One's temple we were in. It was a stark contrast to our surroundings, so much so that I had almost forgotten we were in a temple and not the Whispering Woods. The glow from the blue lines was at its brightest in the centre of the clearing, where a circle was very clearly etched into the ground, all the blue lines leading into it. As we stepped off the soft ground of the forest and on to the hard stone of the temple floor, the circle in the centre started to slowly rise out of the ground. The column stopped moving when it rose to around Catra's shoulder height, and we exchanged a cautious glance before moving towards it.

'What is it?' Catra asked, walking around it.

I bobbed down to get a better look, 'I don't know, but there's a word on this side.'

'What does it say?'

'Uh... Focus.'

'What's that supposed to mean?'

'No idea, maybe it's a password, like for the doors?'

'Try saying it clearer.'

I stood up to my full height and cleared my throat, 'Focus!'

Nothing happened.

I looked at Catra, noticing the blue lines glowing slightly brighter under her feet as she moved around, 'You say it.'

'What? Why?'

'Just try it.'

She shook her head, 'Oh, no, I do not want anything else magical happening to me.'

'Why not?'

'Because you're the magical one. _You're_ the one who talks to forests, _you're_ the one who can open doors with words, _you're_ the one who's friends with everybody, who everyone likes being around, and _you're_ the one that was chosen to be Etheria's hero. You're the one that's special, Adora, and that's just not who I am... It never will be.' She held her arms close to her chest, looking at the ground.

I put my hand on her shoulder, shrinking back down to regular Adora size, 'You're special to me.' She looked at me, and I gazed into those eyes I loved so much, 'Have I ever told you how much I love your eyes?' I said, moving my hand from her shoulder to rest on her cheek.

A small smile crept onto her face, 'Whatever, Dummy, I'll say the stupid word.' I stepped back as Catra moved to stand in front of the First Ones writing on the pillar, 'But what do we do if this doesn't work?'

'Then we'll look for another way out, but I've got a feeling it'll be fine.'

Catra took a deep breath, before speaking clear and calm. 'Focus.'

Nothing happened.

'See, Adora! You were wrong, it's not... Oh no.'

The writing split in two, and both halves of a small door slowly slid around the back of the pillar.

I grinned, 'What was that? It's _not_ working? Oh, I guess we'll go then.' Catra wasn't listening, instead she was staring inside the pillar. I looked over her shoulder, 'What is it?'

'It looks like... gloves? And a _tiara_.' She said the word "tiara" like she was allergic to it. 'Well go on, Adora. Try them on.'

'Oh, absolutely not.' I said, shaking my head and wagging my finger, 'You opened the thing, you have to put them on.' She frowned at me. 'Catra, it didn't open for me. If I was supposed to wear them it would have opened when I said the word. But it didn't, it opened for you, so try them on.'

Catra sighed before picking up the gloves and putting them on. They were relatively thin, but padded, black fingerless gloves. They had blue First Ones patterns all around, which stemmed from a blue crystal disc on the back of each glove. I couldn't help but be reminded of the crystal Mara's sword was made from, it looked identical. Catra then picked up the circlet; it was made from two bands of gold metal that met at an angle at the front and ended with two circles at the back. At the front, covering the join between the two halves, a small blue oval gemstone. 'Do I really have to wear this?'

'Yes!' I beamed, 'If it makes you feel better, I think those are called circlets, not tiaras.'

'For the record, that does _not_ make me feel better.' She put it on before fiddling with her hair, making it sit more comfortably on her head. Now all that was visible was the front of it resting on her forehead, a triangular shape with a gemstone in the centre. After a moment the gemstone shone brilliantly, followed by the crystal discs on the back of the gloves, the glow then spreading throughout the rest of the pattern. 'A-Adora! They're glowing! What do I do!'

'Uh, focus!'

'On what?'

'Uh... Imagine Melog is bright red and you have to turn them blue again!' She closed her eyes, and focused on calming her breathing. I noticed her physically relaxing after a moment before she opened her eyes again and smiled at me. 'Can I have a look?' She nodded. I stepped forwards, leaning in to examine the gemstone on her head prior to having a closer look at the discs on her hands. 'Catra, this looks like Mara's sword, the one I broke.'

'What do you mean?'

'I mean it's made the same way. You've got the hilt with the gemstone, your circlet; and the blade of crystal, your gloves.' I gasped as a realisation dawned, 'I get to be your Light Hope!'

'What?'

'I could help you figure out how to use it - them, if you want me to?'

Catra looked down at her glowing gloves, considering, 'Let's just concentrate on getting out of here, for now. I don't know what these things do, and I don't want to chance anything.'

I shrugged, 'Alright, whatever you say.'

The sound of stone grinding against stone suddenly filled the silence of the forest. As we turned around, we saw a triangular temple door rising slowly just beyond the now descending glove pillar. It was part of a wall, a long wall, that had definitely not been there a few moments beforehand.

'Didn't we come from that direction?' Catra asked, looking around.

'Uh... I vote that we just go through the door and leave the confusing forest that likes you more than me behind.'

'Agreed.'

The door started closing as soon as we passed through. On the other side, we found ourselves in a familiar looking corridor filled with flourishing magical plants and wisps.

'Wait... You were jealous, I knew it!'


	8. Unstable Memories

Voices echoed down the corridor as we neared what used to be a doorway, a tree now growing proudly where a door would once have been. The magic in this place that caused all the plants to grow must have been hundreds of years old, all of this couldn't have been the result of the magic the spire collected just a few days ago. We were close enough now that I could make out Bow's voice clearly, he was talking to someone about how to work some controls.

Catra and I stepped over the thick roots of the tree in the doorway and looked around the hall we found ourselves entering. The ceiling was high, the walls lined with many pieces of First Ones writing with what looked like angular representations of landscapes worked in-between them. The tree in our doorway was much bigger than I thought, it snaked up the side of the nearest wall before leaning out and filling a large part of the hall with its long, twisting branches and flourishing leaves. There were two other intact doors to our left, and ahead of us a staircase leading up to a central dais which had an open door behind it. I could see Bow up on the dais, he was crouching around what looked like another pillar, similar to the one we found in the forest, aiming his tracking pad at various parts of it.

'Bow!' I called, getting his attention. 'Hey!'

Bow looked up, surprised, and smiled when he saw us, 'Adora! Catra! I'm so glad you're okay!' He called back, waving us up to join him on the dais.

As we climbed the stairs, I got a better feeling for the layout of the hall. It was oval shaped, and there were four doors in total. The one behind Bow looked like the way out with three more opposite, the left door being the one we just came out of. The dais with the short pillar was almost central to the room, with two sets of stairs leading up to it on either side.

Bow walked over, flipping the tracker pad round to face us, 'Glimmer went and found - '

'Entrapta?' I smiled, 'You're still in Bright Moon?'

'Yes, I already explained that packing up my lab has taken a lot longer than I predicted... Oh! Adora! It's you! I thought Bow's voice had cracked again - it's good that you're here! There's some kind of terminal that doesn't have buttons on it and Bow's hand doesn't work.'

'My voice is fine! My hand works fine!' Bow protested, his voice cracking slightly.

Catra laughed, and I couldn't help but join in. The sound of Catra genuinely laughing filled me with joy, and I smiled at her before looking at the pillar nearby. It looked like the one we had just encountered, but it had an angled top, with the shape of a hand engraved into it. 'I've got a feeling this one's on Catra.' I smirked, moving towards her.

'Wait, what?' She asked as I grabbed her wrist and pulled her forward, 'Why me!' Once I placed her hand on the pillar her glove shone brightly, that glow then travelled down the pillar and spread throughout the room, following the patterns on the floor and walls.

'Woah, what's happening?' Bow asked, moving round to stand in front of Catra, 'Catra has fancy gloves now? And a little tiara? When did this happen?'

'It's not a tiara!' Catra growled.

A scream suddenly sounded from the tracker pad Bow was still holding up, he almost jumped out of his skin and had to juggle the device to avoid dropping it, 'Catra has First Ones' tech!?' Entrapta shouted, 'And it's wearable!?' She looked like she was about to faint. 'You must let me examine it!'

Just then, a familiar hologram appeared in front of Catra, floating just beyond the edge of the dais. Its purple form distorting every few seconds.

<< Administrator detected. What is your query? >>

Catra looked at me and I shrugged, 'Just say some words.'

She thought for a second, 'Uh... Focus? Sanctuary?'

<< Administrator password accepted: Focus. >>  
<< Destination selected: Sanctuary. >>  
<< Please proceed. >>

The middle door below us lit up and started to rise.

'Ohhh, I wish I was really there!' Entrapta yelled through the screen.

Catra looked up at the hologram, 'Thanks?'

<< Query not recognised. >>

She gingerly removed her hand from the pillar, and although the glow dimmed it did not vanish entirely, unlike the hologram.

'Okay, Entrapta, I'll call you back,' said Bow.

'Affirmative!' She replied, 'Wrong Hordak! Make some tiny snacks - '

Bow ended the connection and looked at us. 'Could I have those earpieces back? I want to have a look at what went wrong with the connection when you guys passed through that wall. Thanks.' He said, as we passed them over.

We then started walking towards the stairs, and Bow looked at me as I walked alongside him, Catra following behind, 'So what happened to you guys? What was through that door?' He motioned towards the door we came from as we reached the bottom of the stairs and headed towards the newly opened central door.

'We were in some kind of magical forest. It looked just like the Whispering Woods, acted like them too. At first, I thought it was a hologram or a memory, but there really is an entire magical forest down there. And... it was responding to Catra, ignoring She-Ra almost entirely, that's how we able to find our way out.' I looked around as we entered the new corridor, this one wasn't as overgrown as the others and seemed to be less so the further down it we travelled.

Bow considered for a moment, his hand on his chin, 'And what about the First Ones' tech you found? Is it okay for Catra to be wearing it?'

'Hmm. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little worried about it, but something's happening with her. When I found Mara's sword in the forest, it started me in an entirely new direction. I can't help but think Catra finding a similar piece of tech must mean something. It has to. It can't be a coincidence.'

He looked back at Catra, frowning, 'She's been awfully quiet for a while, I think you should talk to her, see if she's okay. I'll have a quick look at these earpieces,' He took one of them out and started frowning at it.

'Okay. Thanks, Bow.' I dropped back to walk alongside Catra, she didn't say a word and just kept walking. She was holding her arms to her chest again and walking with her eyes down. 'Hey, what's on your mind?' I asked, placing a hand on her shoulder.

She looked up at me, a worried look in her eyes, 'I just don't understand what's happening. This kind of stuff doesn't happen to me, Adora. I'm the one that messes everything up, puts people in danger, pushes people away. Since we returned to Etheria, everyone has slowly started being nice to me, despite everything I've done to hurt them. And now this...' She holds up her gloved hands, 'I just don't know what to make of it. I don't know what to do. I - I'm scared, Adora.'

Before I think about anything else I wrap my arms around Catra as tight as I can, burying my face in her neck, 'Catra, everyone is forgiving you because they can see that you've changed, that you're trying to be better than you were. And whatever is going on with you now, we'll work through it together. You, me, and all our friends.' I feel her arms around me, holding me close. 'It's not just you and me anymore, like it was in the Horde, we have so many people who care about us now and will help if we need them. Everything will be okay, I promise.'

Catra leant back from the embrace, looking into my eyes, 'I love you, Adora.' My cheeks started to ache as I felt a wide smile take over my face, that was the second time she had said it out loud. I knew she meant it when she called me things like "dummy" or said that I'm "such an idiot," but hearing the words themselves sent a shiver of sheer happiness through me that I could barely contain. But then a sadness flashed in her eyes, and she dropped her gaze. 'There's something I've been meaning to tell you for a while. I've been having - '

'Guys!?' Bow called from up ahead, 'I've found something!'

'We'll be right there, Bow!' I called back, 'I'm really sorry, Catra. Tell me later, okay?' I tried to smile reassuringly, but I could tell that not knowing what she was about to say would weigh on me until she did. I made a mental note to ask her about it once we were back in Bright Moon.

She forced a smile, 'Yeah, okay.'

We quickly caught up with Bow, who was tapping rapidly on his tracker pad, 'I'm calling Entrapta back, she's going to want to see this.'

The room was oval shaped, like the hall, but this one had rows of blue tanks lining the walls. Most had some level of glowing blue fluid inside, but some were broken, the glass long since shattered. A kaleidoscope of different coloured glowing mushrooms sprouted from where the liquid would have once been spilled. In the centre of the room there was a pool filled with the same blue fluid that seemed to have steps leading down into it, plants growing around its edges. Bow was making his way over to the terminal, as if he knew where to go. I looked down into the pool and saw my own reflection shimmering back at me.

That's when it happened.

'No. No no no no no....' I looked up to see Catra glancing around frantically, clutching at her head, her eyes wide in panic and fear. 'Argh!'

'Catra!?'

She suddenly dropped to her knees and screamed while clutching at her hair, a strong shockwave of wind erupting from where she fell, pushing Bow and I away. The wind didn't die down, instead becoming a swirling gale with Catra at the centre, picking up bits of mushrooms and shards of glass, flinging them around the room. I shouted the words despite not hearing them over the howl of the wind, but I could still feel myself becoming She-Ra. I summoned the shield, leaping in front of Bow, holding it against the wind just as a wave of glass shards thundered against it. Peeking over the top, I tried to see Catra, but the wind was too strong for me to keep my eyes open for long. I pushed the shield onto Bow before standing and making my way slowly around the pool, the blue fluid inside crashing against the edges. Each step was agonising, as shards of glass sped past me, cutting through the white and bouncing off the gold of She-Ra's armour. I held my arms up to cover my face, I didn't know how far I was from Catra, but I kept pushing towards where I remembered her falling.

The wind stopped.

I had broken through into the eye of the storm, the wind still swirling around me as I stood in front of Catra. She was on her knees, her face to the floor, still clutching at her head. A small dome of blue energy surrounded her, protecting her from any flying debris. She looked like she was screaming but I could barely hear her from inside the bubble. Placing my hand gently against it I could feel it was solid, it was powerful, and it vibrated with built up force. One wrong move and this thing could send me flying back into the vortex of wind and glass. I was shouting Catra's name, asking her to stop, but my voice wouldn't reach her.

I took a deep breath, crossed my legs, and sat on the floor facing Catra with my hands on my knees. I took one last look before closing my eyes. I concentrated on the power of She-Ra, the brightness of her energy within me, and called on it. I called on her light, to shine through me and light the way for Catra to come back, for it to distract her, for her to latch onto it and pull herself out of whatever darkness she had fallen into.

I could feel it, She-Ra's light was enveloping me, I felt its radiance flow through me and shine out of me.

I opened my eyes.

Catra was looking at me, her eyes pained and red from crying, her ears low. The jewel on her circlet and the discs on her gloves were glowing brighter than ever. She caught my gaze and looked into my eyes, placing a gloved hand against the bubble from the inside. I nodded to her, letting her know it was all okay. She knew what to do. Catra moved to copy my position, crossing her legs with her hands on her knees. I watched as she closed her eyes and started taking deep breaths.

The wind around us slowly died down, the glass clattering to the floor, and the energy shield around Catra fizzled out of existence. She opened her eyes again and looked at me, visibly exhausted, 'Adora...' I leapt forwards just as she fainted backwards, catching her in my arms.


	9. Cast out the Shadows

After carrying Catra over to Bow and healing all three of us together, then shrinking back down to my normal self, I sat on the floor cradling her unconscious body in my arms. I had lightly removed her gloves and circlet, placing them carefully to one side, and now I just looked down at her with tears in my eyes as I stroked her expressionless face.

Bow had called Entrapta back and plugged the tracker pad into the console so that she could help him go through the information, to work out what was going on. They were talking about having to crack through security without tripping any alarms, but I wasn't listening. Not really. All I could do in that moment was hold on to Catra, just like I had after saving her from Horde Prime less than a month ago. Feeling her body limp like this again was tearing a hole in me. I pressed my forehead against hers and whispered, 'Catra... I love you... Please be okay...'

What had caused this? I now knew there was something she wanted to tell me; she had mentioned it moments beforehand. What was it? What was wrong? I knew she had mixed feelings about a lot of things since leaving the Horde, her conscience was heavy with all she had done, and she was working through that, bit by bit - but this seemed like something else. Something about this room caused her to mentally collapse in moments. She hadn't told me about anything specific about what happened on Prime's flagship, could it be to do with that? Was this place somehow connected? Had it triggered more flashes? A lasting effect from the chip, perhaps? My mind raced at the possibilities, trying to work out what could have caused such a response.

Wait. The response. I looked over at the First Ones tech. That energy barrier, that wind, was that from the tech or from...

'Adora.'

Bow's voice snapped me back to reality and I looked up to find him kneeling in front of me.

I felt tears drip from my eyes at the sudden movement. 'Yeah?' There was a lump in my throat, my voice barely made a sound.

'Sorry, but you're going to want to see this.'

I nodded, and Bow stood before walking back over to the console. I gently lifted Catra's head and moved myself from under her, then carefully placed her head back down. Then I took my jacket off and folded it before tenderly lifting Catra's head again and sliding my folded jacket under, before lowering her head back onto it slowly. I stroked her cheek and smiled softly, before kissing her forehead, standing up, and making my way over to the console.

Bow had questions, and concerns, and doubts. I could tell. They were plastered all over his face. But I knew that, for me, he was being considerate and not voicing them. Yet. 'Okay,' I said as I joined him at the console, looking up at the holographic screens that had appeared over it, 'Hit me.'

'From what we've been able to find,' he began, 'The First Ones used this place to heal their wounded and sick. But they did it by using the magic of Etheria.'

I frowned, 'Wait, what? How.'

Bow pressed some buttons on the console and a diagram of the spire came up, 'By using the spire, they collected the magic out of the surrounding area. Harnessing that magic, they were able to develop ways of using it for healing and medicine. For thousands of years, long before Mara, this temple drained the magic from a huge portion of Etheria - and once it ran out of magic from the land, it started draining the life force from the wildlife too. Adora, this place _created_ the Crimson Waste, it's the reason this place is so dead. And for whatever reason, restoring magic to Etheria restarted it, which is why everything has been dying again. The systems that are draining magic and life-force are also the reason for the interference on the maps since they're powered by a combination of tech and magic.' He brought up another screen flashing with warnings and errors, 'And it looks like at some point after the First Ones left, leaving this place running, wherever they were storing the magic filled to the brim and burst, causing a major leak inside the temple. Which explains all the plants and glowing... things.'

I couldn't believe it. I stood there for a moment, shocked into silence. 'If it's draining life-force, why weren't we affected?'

'I'm not sure, could be something deep in the programming to do with how the First Ones stopped it from affecting themselves. Maybe it's advanced enough that it can tell the difference between Etherians and wildlife.'

I nodded, that would do for now, 'So how do we stop it?'

'The easy way would be to get Catra to do it, as she seems to have administrator access for some reason, but since she's... out,' He glanced over at Catra's still form, 'Entrapta is currently trying to break through their firewalls and shut it down manually without triggering any alarms.' He sighed, before pressing his palms together in front of his face, 'Please be no spiders.'

At the mention of Catra I turn back to face her, she was still lying where I left her, unmoving and still. 'I hope she's okay.'

Bow turned to follow my gaze, 'I... I know what happened to her, Adora. After seeing her reaction to this room, I asked Entrapta about it.' I looked at him, stunned, urging him to continue with my eyes, 'This room is almost identical to one Entrapta and I found Wrong Hordak in on Horde Prime's flagship. It was filled with pods, similar to these vats. And... While you were busy, Hordak explained to me what Horde Prime did to Catra.'

'What did he do to her?'

'Are you sure you want to know?'

I nodded.

He turned to face his tracker pad, 'Entrapta, you still there?'

After a moment the screen fizzled and Entrapta's face suddenly filled it, 'Yes! Hi! Sorry, these security systems are incredibly fragile. One wrong move and the temple's defences will kick in and kick you out.'

'Is Hordak still there?' Bow asked, his gaze and tone stern.

'HORDAK!' Entrapta shouted, 'Bow wants to talk to you again.'

There was a moment where nothing happened, and then the picture shook before being lifted and spun around, revealing Hordak's white and grey complexion, complimented by his green eyes and mouth. 'This is Hordak. Speak.'

'Hordak,' said Bow, looking at me, 'Tell Adora what you told me. About Catra.'

Hordak frowned, considering, 'Are you certain you wish to know, child?' He asked, addressing me.

I averted my gaze. Did I want to know? It seemed like Catra was about to start opening up, am I right to take the opportunity to tell me herself away from her? I shook my head. I had to know, I needed to know what happened so that I could help her. 'Tell me.' I said, having made up my mind.

'Very well. But do not blame me for any consequences.' There was a pause, and the camera shifted before focusing back on Hordak's face, he must have sat down.

He spoke slowly, his voice low, 'After Catra helped your Queen escape, Horde Prime was displeased. He was not surprised, nor was he wrathful, but he decided to punish Catra all the same. He did it at first because he knew you would come for her, and he wanted to watch as the hope drained from your eyes. But he also did it simply because he could. She would be more cooperative, and Horde Prime would have access to her entire mind, as we all did. He knew she felt for you, cared for you, and she couldn't help but prove it, try as she might to suppress it.

'And so, he took her to be purified. He told her to get into the pool, and she did so, willingly. She could not, after all, have hoped to oppose him. We all stood by, chanting as she lowered herself into it. Horde Prime then activated the machine, and Catra screamed. She screamed as her personality and memories were suppressed deep into her mind. It would have felt as though she were a spectator in her own body.

'Once the procedure was complete, Catra was still, her eyes dead. My brothers carried her out and laid her on a pedestal. There Horde Prime stripped her himself, cut her hair himself, and applied the chip himself. He relished it, took pride in it. I could feel all he felt, and it was _vile_. Once the chip connected, Catra was a part of the hive mind. I felt her. I felt her suppressed anguish, her regret, guilt, sorrow, pain and... love. And then it was gone, replaced with the Catra who did not feel, who was glad to be a part of Horde Prime.

'She relished in the peace Prime gave her, she dropped to her knees and thanked him for his release from her pain. Then, he provided her with our uniform, and told her to rest, for she would be having a visitor. You.' He stood and put the tracker pad back down, facing Entrapta. 'Do not ask me to tell that story again.'

Everything after that was a blur.

My mind stopped. I could feel myself moving, but I felt far away. I think I was crying. Catra... Suddenly she was in my arms. I was cradling her. Rocking her. Her face was wet. I was crying on her. I rocked her back and forth, saying her name, apologising to her.

I was sorry.

_I was sorry for not going back sooner._

_I was sorry for leaving her there._

_I was sorry for ever hurting her._

And then I vowed.

_I vowed to protect her._

_I vowed to always be with her._

_I vowed to make her happy._

And then I told her I loved her, again and again.

_I love you._

_I love you._

_I love you._

Melog was before me, nuzzling into Catra. Huntara followed, looking around. Bow was talking to her but I couldn't make out what they were saying, I felt far away... Glimmer was there. I hadn't noticed her arrive... I think Bow picked up my jacket and Catra's tech. I felt a hand on my shoulder and the room changed. I looked down; I was still holding Catra. That's all that mattered to me... Someone tried to prise me away from Catra, but I wouldn't let go... The room changed again... I felt weightless, as if being picked up, then felt my body connect with softness... I was lying down with Catra next to me. I moved closer to her, hugged her to me, and closed my eyes.

**

I had awoken the next morning in my bed, in my room, lying next to Catra. Glimmer and Bow were asleep on chairs by the bed, her head on his shoulder, his head on hers. I could barely remember how I got there. All I remembered was hearing what Horde Prime did to Catra, and then... it was all blurry.

Glimmer and Bow explained to me what happened once they woke up. Bow said that it was like I had vanished, I wouldn't leave Catra's side for a second. Entrapta had managed to disable to temple's security, stopping the collection of magic, shutting it all down. Melog and Huntara had entered after she saw the temple power down, using the password I had said to open the entrance. Then, with the anomaly gone and the interference cleared from the map, Bow sent Glimmer our exact coordinates and she came to get us. Apparently Huntara was told not to scrap the temple, and she agreed after seeing the state we were in. She said she would tell her people there was nothing inside, and to go home, promising not to share the password.

Entrapta and Micah explained to me that Catra had most likely suffered an extreme psychological shock at seeing a place that bore resemblance to somewhere deeply traumatic to her. They said she just needed rest, that fatigue was a normal symptom of trauma, and that she should wake up soon.

And so there I was, sat next to the bed, holding onto Catra's hand waiting for her to wake up. My jacket had been placed over my shoulders at some point, and Catra's First Ones tech was across the room on my desk.

I wondered about what I should say to her when she woke up. I wondered if I should tell her Bow's theory: that Horde Prime had possibly found another healing pool on a First Ones world a millennia ago, copying the design and using it to breed thousands of clones. I wondered if I should tell her my theory: that she somehow had magical powers, and the tech was her focus much like Mara's sword had been for me. I wondered if I should just talk to her, tell her about how much I loved her, and wanted to spend the rest of my life with her, share in her trauma and help her grow past it.

And then I didn't wonder anymore, as I was snapped back into the room, away from my idle thoughts.

I felt a pressure on my hand, and Catra's eyelids slowly fluttered open. She looked around the room, slowly taking it in, before meeting my gaze and smiling softly. I felt my heart tighten at her smile and smiled back, almost laughing with relief, tears in my eyes.

'...Hey, Adora.'


	10. Take Care of Each Other

'Hey,' I replied softly.

Smiling through my tears, I squeezed her hand. I was happy to see her awake, but a pile of difficult questions formed a lump in my throat, and I held my tongue.

'Adora...' Catra's voice was hoarse and quiet, 'I'm sorry.' Her hand moved to my face and touched my cheek.

I placed my hand over hers and leaned into it, finding comfort in the small gesture. 'It's okay, it wasn't your fault.'

Her fingers gently rub over my face, as if trying to find something, 'I hurt you again...'

She must have seen me covered in cuts when she looked at me in the eye of her storm, I had been so focused I forgot all about it, 'It's alright, I healed us all. We're all okay.'

A small Melog jumped up onto the bed and snuggled next to Catra, she smiled warmly, stroking them with her other hand.

'How do you feel?' I asked, almost fearing the answer.

'I don't know. I feel like that was the deepest sleep I've had in a while.' Sitting up didn't seem to pose a problem for her and she crossed her legs, leaning forwards. Melog got up and curled into her lap, and she continued to stroke them. 'Listen, Adora...'

I looked up at her, meeting her gaze.

'I know you must have a thousand questions, and a thousand more worries. And...' She paused, looking down at Melog, 'This is going to make me sound crazy, but while I was asleep, I felt like... I felt like Etheria itself spoke to me. Told me not to be afraid. I felt a connection I - I can't explain it.' Melog jumped off of her lap and onto the floor, returning to normal size before sitting near the door, waiting. I turned back to see that Catra was shuffling toward me, and she dangled her legs over the edge of the bed as she faced me, holding my hands in hers and interlacing our fingers. 'I've decided I'm not going to run anymore. I'm not going to hide anything from you anymore. Right now I feel this... clarity. I don't know how long it will last, but I wanted to tell you that that's what I've decided. I'm going to trust you with all of me.'

I felt a weight lift off my shoulders, and I leant forwards, embracing the love of my life. 'That's everything I want.' She had said exactly what I needed to hear, and I felt a warmth rise deep inside myself.

'I'm going to elaborate on what I started telling you in the temple, and then we're going to talk about what happened in the... in that room.' I nodded. 'But first, I need to wash.'

I laughed, 'That sounds great... Do you want me to join...?'

Catra grinned a devious smile, 'Not today, Princess, but I'll keep that offer in mind.' She got up and made towards the bathroom door, stopping briefly to collect a new grey top, grey shorts, and a towel. I watched the sway of her hips and the swishing as she walked in the bathroom, Melog following behind, before closing the door behind her with a thud.

I let out a huge breath and flopped onto the bed. That hadn't gone the way I expected. I would never have thought Catra would wake up after suffering something so traumatising and actually be more willing than ever to talk to me. Had she really had a vision? Had it impacted her that hard that she now trusted me with all of her? I couldn't help but smile. It seemed too good to be true. I heard the faint sound of the shower turning on. 

At that moment Glimmer teleported into the room, frowning as she saw me on the bed, 'Adora? Where's Catra? Is she okay?'

I looked at her, and she must have seen my smile because she walked over and laid on the bed next to me, her head almost touching mine. Had she not been in formal queen clothes, I got the feeling she would have jumped on the bed and not cared if she made a mess.

'She's just in the bathroom having a wash. And... honestly? She seems fine. So fine I'm wondering, deep down, if she's _too_ fine. She said she was going to tell me everything, trust me with all of her. Glimmer, she said she had a vision. What if she's got magic now?' I stared up at the ceiling as I spoke, and I knew Glimmer would be doing the same.

She hummed in thought before replying, 'Bow told me everything that happened. He said you got separated, and when you found him again Catra had that First Ones tech. He did also explain what happened with Catra... Oh, and he also said, and I quote, "I don't think Adora was being as quiet as she thought she was."'

I felt my life leave my body as she said that last part, and then my face flushed red and I covered my eyes with my hands. 'Oh no.'

'Oh, yeah. He did not sleep well.' She chuckled; I could tell she enjoyed teasing me about my new relationship with Catra.

'Well, that's it. I can never look at Bow ever again.'

Glimmer sat up and I peeped through my fingers at her. She was looking down at me, concerned. 'Adora, Bow also told me what Hordak said. Does Catra know that we know? It sort of feels wrong that we've learnt about it indirectly. Is she really fine?'

I sighed. 'No, I don't think so. Part of me wants her to just wake up one day and be fine, but part of me wants to help her through it, help her overcome it, help her conquer it. She said she would talk about everything with me. I just need to be strong. For her, but also for myself. Hearing it from Hordak was sudden and... well, you saw what I was like. I was in shock. But hearing it from Catra, I think that will be harder. So I have to be strong, for her and for me.'

Glimmer nodded, sitting up, 'Okay, just remember to take care of yourself too.' I nodded. 'Oh! I need to catch you up on some things,' she said, spinning round to face me and crossing her legs on my bed.

I sat up, listening, 'Okay. What kind of things?'

She chuckled, 'Just mundane boring stuff, don't get excited. There's been no reports of fighting or anything since Horde Prime was defeated.'

'Why would fighting excite me?'

'Oh, you don't have to pretend with me. We both know you like to show off.' Glimmer grinned a mischievous smile.

I scoffed, 'I do not!'

'You do.' She patted my arm, pretending to console me and nodding solemnly. 'Anyway, my dad has been doing well. He seems to have caught up on how things work now, it's not all that different, which is good. I'm going to remain Queen, and if for any reason I leave Bright Moon, on any best friend squad adventures, he is prepared to take over in my absence as Steward of Bright Moon.'

Frowning, I asked, 'What's a steward?'

Glimmer's eyes widened; she had probably forgotten that I wouldn't know what that is. 'Oh, it just means that while I'm gone, he makes decisions on my behalf. He said he doesn't feel like he can be king, not with my mother gone, but he's prepared to stand in for me.'

The hug that I pulled her into was long and warm, we didn't have to say anything to understand what it was for. Angella's last words to me echoed in my head...

_Take care of each other._

I smiled sadly at the memory of her, and I couldn't help but wonder what she would say if she were here. Micah was alive, the war was over, we had won. There was peace. She could have finally relaxed. I wondered how proud she would be of her daughter now. Glimmer had matured a lot since becoming queen, she no longer teleported head-first into combat, instead considering things first. That change is what had pushed us apart. I was always so raring to go and just assumed Glimmer would go along with it, but as Queen she had been burdened with so many other responsibilities overnight. But we had moved past it and grown stronger from it.

'Speaking of adventures...' Glimmer said, pulling back from the hug. 'Bow and I were talking, and we think it would be best if you and Catra took a break. We only just saved the world, and then I immediately sent you on another mission. That was wrong of me, and you and Catra suffered because of it. Despite your... activities.'

'Glimmer -'

She cut me off, 'No, Adora. Let me finish. Entrapta has almost finished packing the last of her equipment onto Darla. She had to get some of it out again to help Bow hack the temple. But she'll be leaving with Hordak and Wrong Hordak for Dryl... soon. I can't remember when she said. Tomorrow or the day after. Honestly, I get lost when she speaks sometimes. But we think you should go with her. You and Catra. To just get away from all...' she motioned around her, 'This.'

I leant back, thinking. It could be good to get away. We haven't had much time to properly rest since... well, ever. We had those couple of days before, but they didn't last long.

'Entrapta is... enthusiastic about it.' Glimmer continued, 'Bow may have mentioned Catra's recent _outburst_ to her,and she's also desperate to study the First Ones tech you found and how Catra can connect with it.'

I looked back at Glimmer and nodded.

'Okay.' I said.

She looked shocked, 'That's it?'

Smiling, I asked, 'Yeah, why? It sounds like a good plan.'

Apparently, she had been holding a breath, because she let it out, 'I was sure you would protest being sent away. Well, not sent away as such, but more like a _go relax or else_ kind of thing.'

I smirked, 'You just want us out of the palace, don't you? You're gonna do something with Bow.' I prodded at her chest playfully.

She turned bright red and looked away, 'I... uh... I can't _deny_ that the thought... had crossed my mind. But that wasn't our main motivation! You guys were!' She held up her hands defensively.

We continued talking for a while, I lost track of how long exactly. Glimmer told me all about her dad not knowing how all the recent additions worked, like the tracker pads, the war room hologram table, and the showers in the palace washrooms which had been a recent addition that Entrapta had installed in all the bathrooms without telling anyone. She also told me that he had been awestruck during his tour of Darla, asking about every little thing, and Entrapta had shown him every minute detail of what she had added to the ship. She told me about all the other princesses leaving to go on their missions or to go home and how empty the palace now felt. Glimmer then talked about how worried she had been while she couldn't contact us in the Crimson Waste. Which reminded me about Catra, and I looked to the door of the bedroom.

She had been gone the whole time; we must have been talking for nearly an hour at least. Glimmer assured me not to worry, that she would come back soon. I nodded. She then asked me about how I met Catra, back in the Horde. I laughed, remembering the day Shadow Weaver had brought in a small wet cardboard box and dumped it in our barracks, before huffing and leaving again. I told her how I had slowly lifted the lid, seeing Catra's glowing eyes for the first time and immediately been captivated by them, before receiving a swift slash of her claws on my arm. I tried to find the cut, but it was long faded by now.

The bathroom door opened slowly. A regular-sized Melog entered first, followed by Catra, who was now wearing her grey top and shorts and aggressively drying her hair with a towel. Her fur was a shade or two darker than usual, which meant she hadn't quite fully dried off yet. Glimmer shot up and teleported across the room, catching Catra by surprise as she wrapped her arms around her.

'Whoa, Sparkles!' Catra laughed, her voice a little hoarse, hugging her back.

Melog wondered over to the carpet before walking in circles and laying down, curling up.

Glimmer had told me about how her and Catra had been able to talk a lot on Prime's ship, how she was able to relate to her, on some level. I smiled as I watched my two best friends hugging. Wait, was Catra still my friend? I hadn't even considered what we were now, but after kissing and... other things, I was sure it was more than friends. Was there a word for someone who you loved more than you did other friends? We were never taught about any of this in the Fright Zone, and any mention of friendship or anything else was taboo, but even if there wasn't a word to summarise our current relationship, I knew we would always be best friends. Inseparable. Or, at least that's what I wanted. And then I remembered about what Catra had said before she left, that she would tell me everything, trust me with all of her. Suddenly, I was nervous.

'Okay,' said Glimmer, pulling back from the hug, 'I'll let you two catch up now. Tell her about our offer, Adora. It'll be good for you.' Then she vanished, teleporting away.

A silence settled over the room, my nerves holding me back from speaking. I looked over at Catra, who was still stood by the door. She looked deep in thought. I also noticed that her eyes were red and puffy, which, combined with her hoarse voice, gave me a clue as to why she had been so long. I felt a pang of sadness shoot through me as I imagined Catra, crying alone on the floor of the bathroom while I was sat in here having fun talking to Glimmer, but I had to trust her.

Catra took a deep breath before walking over to me, sitting where Glimmer had been moments before. As she looked up at me, looked me in the eye, I could now clearly see tell-tale signs that she had been crying. I moved to hug her instinctively, but she held up a hand.

'No. Wait.' She took another deep breath, 'If you hug me, I think I might cry. And then I won't be able to stop, and I won't be able to tell you what I want to tell you.'

I nodded, leaning back again.

Catra took another breath, her eyes tearing up, 'Uh... Oh, I thought I was ready...' she wiped her eyes. 'Um. I think I need a minute. What did Glimmer tell you? Something about an offer?'

I nodded again. 'Yeah, she... she said that we should go with Entrapta and the Hordaks to Dryl. Apparently Entrapta wants to study what's happening to you, and your connection to the new tech, see how it all works. I think it's a good idea. We could do with an actual break, away from all this.' I motioned around me, as Glimmer had done earlier.

Catra took a deep breath and looked over at the tech on the desk. 'Look, Adora, I trust you. I said I would trust you, and I will. So if you think making me wear those things again is a good idea, then I'll do it. I'd like a break too.' She looked back at me, smiling with her ears low.

I smiled back, I wanted nothing more than to hold her in my arms and kiss her. I _so_ wanted to kiss her.

'Okay,' she said, before looking deep into my eyes, 'I'm ready.'


	11. Catra

'Okay, I'm ready.' She looked around for a moment, before pointing to the pillows, 'Can we lay down?'

I nodded, 'Yeah, of course.' I took the elastic out of my hair, letting it drop down and cover my shoulders.

Catra seemed to smile at me before moving up the bed and lying on her back, her head against the pillow. I moved back up the bed, before lying next to her in the same position. We were both looking at the ceiling, taking a moment. Then I felt movement next to me, and I started to turn my head but was stopped by Catra's hand on my cheek. 'No, please. Don't look at me. Not yet.' I nodded and looked back at the ceiling.

I think she was lying on her side, staring at my face. I felt her hand on my cheek, touching it gently. She then held onto my hand, before pulling it towards her and holding it tightly between both of hers.

Catra took a deep, shuddering breath before squeezing my hand once more.

Then she began.

'You were always my number one priority, Adora. Our friendship was the most important thing to me in the whole world. What I didn't realise, is that it wasn't the same for you.

'It hurt. When you left. When I realised you weren't coming back. I had been so excited to find you in Thaymor, I remember throwing myself on you and feeling so relieved you were okay.

'But then you started telling me to stop, to call off the attack. I panicked, I zapped you, I didn't know what to do. That was the first time I saw She-Ra. As soon I saw her turn into you my heart... it felt like a part of me died. I ran. I ran away. It hurt to run from you, but I felt so betrayed.

'Everything we had ever whispered to each other in the night, hiding from Shadow Weaver. All those promises and plans we made under the blankets, on the rooftops... it all felt like a lie. Like you had lied to me the whole time and then just abandoned me like I was nothing. Worthless. Pointless. A distraction.

'I scratched the drawing of your face off the bunk. I ripped up your mattress while crying my eyes out because you were gone. Without you I didn't know what to do. Everything I ever wanted was to rule the Fright Zone with you and you just left me. Alone.

'Hordak made me Force Captain. I didn't fully understand why, but it gave me a purpose again. For the first time I felt like maybe I didn't need you. I could do it on my own. But I still dressed up nice for you, at the Prom, did you notice? That was for you. I almost kissed you like three times that night. You looked so beautiful. But the plan went ahead.

'We took Sparkles and Arrow Boy. I took your sword. I felt a victory for the first time in a long time. But what Shadow Weaver was doing to Glimmer... what she would have done to you... I had to get you out of there. I gave you your sword and you asked me why. It's because I loved you, dummy. I didn't want you to get captured again, I didn't want Shadow Weaver to hurt you. Anything but that.

'After we found Entrapta... I felt like she would turn the tide of the war. She had so much potential for making weapons, and she didn't seem to mind when I used them against you. It was her that told me where to look for First Ones tech, and I found you there. I followed you, into that temple. It was hard, being in there with you. It showed us memories of us as kids. I felt so confused. I loved you. But you were my enemy. I said horrible things to you that I didn't mean and left you there. It hurt so much but I convinced myself it was right.

'Then Hordak gave us permission to use the Black Garnet. Shadow Weaver didn't like it and attacked us. I beat her. I think she knew that once Hordak gave us the runestone she would no longer be needed. We used it to attack you. Froze the woods. Marched on Bright Moon. It felt so good to get so close. That was where you were. It was where you lived. I wanted to destroy it. If I destroyed it maybe you would return to me.

'I dug my claws into you that day. I raked them down your back. I still feel it... I still remember trying to scrub the blood out from under my nails. I'm so sorry... You still have the scars and you always will...

'The entire time I was in the fright zone it felt like everything was crumbling around me. Shadow Weaver was in prison. Entrapta was helping Hordak. I was being sent all over to find parts for their portal project... the portal... When Shadow Weaver escaped, Hordak almost killed me. But he banished me instead. Sent me to the Crimson Waste. I took over that place in half a day. It was nothing compared to the Fright Zone. But of course you would be there. You told me about Shadow Weaver, how she abandoned me _exactly_ the same way you did... Something inside me snapped. I wanted to destroy everything. And I almost did... I still remember the look you gave me after you shut down the portal. It pierced something deep down within me. It was the first time I thought you genuinely hated me...

'It was easy to take over the Fright Zone after that. Hordak was a mess. I told him Entrapta betrayed him and went back with you but that's... that's not what happened. I sent her to Beast Island. That's why Scorpia left... She looked me in the eye and called me a bad friend... Double Trouble helped to keep you all busy while we destroyed Salineas. I remember trying to contact Scorpia, but I couldn't. I found a note in her room. She had left me too... Everyone was leaving me. I wouldn't be surprised if Lonnie, Kyle, and Rogelio left either. I've not seen them for a while. I worked them too hard, I worked all of them too hard. So they probably hate me too. After Double Trouble betrayed me, made me send our whole army to be destroyed, Hordak attacked me. He had found out about Entrapta. We practically destroyed the Fright Zone in our fight. Then Sparkles showed up, and the next thing I remember...

'Horde Prime... I thought I could survive there the same way I did in the Horde. Try to make myself essential. But it didn't work. He saw through everything, even how I felt about you. He used it against me. Everyone had turned against me. There was nothing left. I lost you, Shadow Weaver followed you, Scorpia left, Double Trouble manipulated me, Hordak attacked me... You should have seen the way Horde Prime picked up Hordak and tossed him aside.

'After all of that I was broken. I felt lost. I had absolutely nothing left. I was allowed to walk around his ship, but I was still a prisoner. Sparkles and I, we... we spoke a lot. We talked about a lot of things. It was nice. She told me to do one good thing in my life. So, once I knew you were on your way to get her, I got her out. I got her out to you, so that you wouldn't come to the ship. And then...

'He...

'It _hurt_...

'He made me walk into that green pool of my own will and he... I remember screaming. The pain... I couldn't stand it. I couldn't stand it so much that I felt myself receding into my own body to escape the intensity of it. When it stopped, I couldn't move. I couldn't do anything. But I could _feel..._ I felt his hands on me. He took off my clothes. He cut my hair. He put the chip on me and then... it was agony. Thousands of minds in my head all at once, I wanted to scream but I couldn't. I couldn't do anything. Instead I was on my knees, naked, thanking Prime for releasing me from my pain... He hadn't released me from anything. He just pushed me back inside my own head and made me a puppet. A puppet to be used.

'And then, like an idiot, you came for me. You fell into his trap. I started fighting it. I wanted to tell you to leave, but I also wanted you to stay. I wanted you to help me. I wanted to go home. And then I fell...

'I woke up in your arms. I thought I was dead... I thought I had died. But there you were, holding me. You really had come back for me. I decided I would change, that I would need to change so you wouldn't leave me again... Scorpia had been right, I had been a bad friend...

'Spending time with you was nice. I loved hearing you laugh, I loved not fighting you. Every time I looked at you, I thought... I love her. She's beautiful. I want to stay with her forever, even if that meant putting up with Arrow Boy and Sparkles.

'While we were fighting Horde Prime on Etheria, I tried everything I could to keep you safe. I wanted you to stop flinging yourself at danger, to stop protecting everyone by endangering yourself. For the last three years, the Princesses did nothing but use you. I wanted you to decide for yourself. But then Shadow Weaver got to you, made you take the Failsafe. Once you did that, once you chose her over me... I thought you didn't want me there. That I was just in the way. I was a distraction. I thought you didn't want me like I wanted you... Like I had always wanted you...

'So I ran. Just like you had. But I found out what Prime was doing to Etheria and I had to warn you... But I was too late. Shadow Weaver was talking but I stopped her, I told her to help me help you, to do one good thing in her life...

'She sacrificed herself for us. For Etheria. Do you remember what she said...? _"You're welcome."_ I'm still so confused by that. Had she really cared for us? Even though she treated us so horribly. Tortured me relentlessly through my childhood, endlessly making me feel like I was less than the ground she walked on. She used me at every opportunity for her own self gain, and only kept me around at all because you seemed happier when I was around. And yet through it all I still sought her approval, I kept trying to make her see what I could do - that I wasn't useless. But she left the Horde to go after you, so she never saw any of it... _"You're welcome."_

'And there's you, you idiot. You were about to face the Heart of Etheria alone. As if I would have left you to do that on your own, dummy. When I was holding you, I thought I had lost you. I begged you to stay, not to leave me again... and I finally told you. I told you what I should have told you a long time ago. That I loved you. I had always loved you. I always will...

'But you... you looked me in the eye with a look I had seen plenty of times before. A look I never paid attention to, one I shrugged off as being in my head. I always thought I was imagining things, running off in my own little fantasies. But no, at that moment you looked at me with those eyes, and gave me the meaning behind them... They meant you loved me too... This whole time you'd been looking at me the same way I was looking at you and I never noticed. I held your face in my hand and I kissed you. It felt so right, so good, so perfect. It was everything I had ever wanted...

'And then you were She-Ra. I was kissing She-Ra. You ended up holding me above the ground, so I wrapped my legs around you as you held onto me. Then the Heart released its magic. It flowed into you, you were absorbing it but you were kissing me. I felt it flow through you and into me too. Then you stopped and looked into my eyes. I think I melted on the spot. Once I saw you, all big and shiny and glowing, I knew you had done it. You'd survived, we made it.

'You released the magic back into Etheria. You stopped Horde Prime. We won. I felt such a wave of relief, some of the princesses hugged me, which was strange. Then you made some random declaration that we would bring magic back to the universe. Yeah, right. As if we could that just the four of us. I almost died laughing when Bow started freaking out about long that would take.

'Then there were celebrations that night in Bright Moon, but I felt out of place, like I didn't belong. I needed time to think. I walked around the palace, hiding from guards, looking out the windows. I could barely believe where I was, let alone that I was allowed to be there. And not to mention you had just asked me into your room like it was nothing. It took me a while to work up the courage be alone in your bedroom with you.

'When I did go back to your room you were fast asleep, I must have watched you for ages. Then, I decided I that I would lie next to you. I was nervous at first but when I did, I felt at peace. I remember thinking that it was good, that it was where I belong.

'Then the next morning... it felt like our lives had led up to that moment. Like it was always going to happen, like we had always wanted it to happen. I could still barely believe that you loved me back, but you kept reminding me, you kept saying it, over and over and it felt... right. It was right. It was good. It felt good.

'We didn't kiss and barely touched each other for a full day after that, so when you kissed me outside the war room, I felt a... _hunger_. I've never felt anything like it. But you continued to tease me all day, spouting something about a promise, that you'd make it up to me. Then at the campfire, you nearly sent me crazy. I tried so hard to be mad at you, to get back at you for teasing me all day but I decided: no. I would take what you owed me, what you said you owed me, and you would do it on my terms. So I told you not to say a word, to be quiet. You were anything but quiet, nowhere near. Sweetest revenge of my life.

'What I've not been telling you, what I was going to tell you in the temple, is that the flashes never stopped. I didn't tell you because I didn't want to worry you, but almost every night I've been having nightmares. Sometimes it's Horde Prime, sometimes it's Shadow Weaver. You never woke up, and I didn't wake you. I would just get some air then get back into bed. Hoping they wouldn't come back.

'Then today, when I saw that room with the tanks and the pool... it came flooding back. What Horde Prime did to me. It felt like there was a _storm_ in my head. But then I felt a warmth. A glow. I opened my eyes and you were there, covered in cuts, bleeding. I remembered what you told me. I had to calm Melog. I had to turn him blue again. And I did.

'Then I must have passed out because everything went black. But I felt a reassurance, I felt like everything would be okay. Something told me not to worry, not to let go, but to trust in those I love. I saw us, kissing under the Heart. I felt the magic course into me, through you. You released the magic that you absorbed back into Etheria. But I... I think the magic I absorbed is still in me. Changing me. Which is why I'll go to Dryl with you. I'll trust you. I want to figure this thing out as well.'

I was staring at the ceiling, taking in everything she said. My face, the pillow, and my hair were all wet from the tears that fell silently during Catra's story. I had no idea what she had been through. But now I knew, now I could help her overcome it. I felt her hand on my cheek, pulling me to look at her. Her eyes were puffy again, she had been crying too. I was so proud of her for telling me all of this and I was about to say so, but no words came out; a lump at the back of my throat stopped me from speaking.

'Adora. I love you,' she said softly, looking into my eyes, 'I love you. I trust you.'

Her lips brushed against mine, and what followed was the sweetest kiss of my life. It wasn't hungry, or forced, or desperate. It was full of love. Hers, and mine. It was full of trust. Calm, patient, wonderful.

Catra pulled back, looking into my eyes, before cradling my head and pulling me close. I wrapped my arms around her and buried my face in her chest.

That's when I let myself cry.


	12. A Sudden Curiosity

Falling asleep while crying in the arms of the person you love isn't all that bad, it turns out. Especially when you wake up and they're still there, holding on to you as if you might float away if they let go. I could hear the comforting hum of Catra's purring, and I suddenly wished to see her face. Carefully, and without moving too quickly, I lifted my head away from her chest, leaving behind the sound of her heartbeat but instead being greeted by the sight of her calm, sleeping face. I reached up and rubbed some of the sleep from my eyes before opening them wider to take in the sight before me.

I had been curled up into a ball and she was curled around me, her arm around my waist and her legs up against mine. I couldn't help but stare at her face. She looked so calm, so peaceful. So beautiful. The ear that wasn't pressed to the pillow twitched every so often, but she didn't stir from her sleep. I let my eyes travel down her form. She was still wearing the grey top and shorts, so a lot of her was still on show. Her short fur was now dry, and as I gently lifted my hand to her waist I was reminded of just how soft and warm she was. I slowly lowered my head to her chest again, listening to the rhythmic drumming of her heartbeat. I could see the arm that stretched around my waist well from here, and I admired it. Catra had been especially scrawny for a long time in the Fright Zone, but now I could see there was more muscle there. Her forearm was especially well toned, and I found myself running my hand down it, feeling the contours of the muscle beneath, causing her fur to part slightly at my touch. Again, I marvelled at how soft she was. I could cuddle with her forever, never getting cold and always being comfortable.

I sighed contentedly; this was perfect. I wished this moment could last forever. Being wrapped in Catra's softness, her warmth, her love. I decided in that moment that this was what I needed for a long life. A long life with Catra. I then allowed thoughts from before the nap to encroach on me again. Catra had told me everything, everything that was weighing her down. I now shared that burden with her and would help her carry it forever.

A thought popped into my head. A sudden curiosity. I thought about Spinnerella and Netossa and their relationship. I was fairly certain that how I felt about Catra was the same way that they felt about one another, but they each referred to the other as their "wife." They were married, I knew that much, in the same way that Angella and Micah had been married. I knew it was a way to show devotion to the other, to signify your bond to that person. Suddenly, all I could think about was...

_I want Catra to be my wife._

But I didn't know how. How do you form that bond? Obviously, nothing about that had been taught in the Fright Zone, and I had never asked anyone here about it before.

_I want to marry Catra._

I wondered if Glimmer would know. I wondered if she would tell me about it seriously without freaking out.

_I want to be with her forever._

But was it too soon? It had only been five days since we first told each other how we felt at the Heart of Etheria. But we had known each other forever, we had loved each other forever. We had spent almost our entire lives together, so was it really too soon? Or was it just the next step?

I decided I would talk to Glimmer about it before we leave for Dryl.

All of a sudden, I was being squeezed. Both Catra's arms were around me and I could feel her cheek against the top of my head, and I heard a contented hum rise from deep within her chest. 'Are you awake?' She asked, her voice quiet and sleepy.

I smiled, wrapping my arm around her, 'Yeah, I'm awake.'

'You cried for a long time,' she said, chuckling.

'So did you.' I looked up at her, my gaze immediately meeting those gorgeous blue and gold eyes.

She whispered, 'You started it.'

'I had a good reason.'

'Did you?'

'You know I did.'

'Yeah, I suppose hearing my entire life's trauma at once will do that to you.'

I lifted my hand up to her cheek, 'How do you feel?'

Her hand moved up to mine and her fingers drew small circles on the back of my hand, 'Honestly? I feel great. It felt great to talk about it all like that. I feel... safer now, somehow. Lighter.'

'That's good.' I slowly moved my hand up into her hair.

'What about you? Was it too much?'

'At first, I suppose so. I didn't realise quite how much there would be but... I'm glad you told me. I'm happy to share your burden. I'm happy that you trusted me with it. I feel more connected to you now than ever, like there's nothing left for me to learn. No more mystery. Just you, and all the time in the world.'

Catra smiled into my hand, and I swear I could see a tear forming in her eye, 'That sounds amazing. What about your burden?'

'My burden? I don't have one... I don't think.'

'Everyone has something they carry with them, Adora. Yours is definitely not just your hair envy with She-Ra.'

I considered for a minute. There were definitely things I was thinking about, like where I came from. If I still had a family out there, somewhere. The fact Catra practically confirmed my theory about her having magic now. I wanted to ask her about that, but I knew it could wait until we were in Dryl. I didn't want to spoil these moments with questions that could worry her too, especially when the time to ask them was only a day or two away.

'I do have some worries, some things I can't help thinking about. I have questions that will likely never be answered. I also have... something I want to ask Glimmer about.' I felt myself blush and my face suddenly burned, Catra definitely noticed. 'But I don't think any of it can hold a candle to your epic tale of betrayal and woe.'

Catra laughed, 'Betrayal and _woe?_ If that weren't accurate, I'd punch you.'

I smiled, 'How about you kiss me instead?'

I watched as a grin spread across her face, 'Deal.'

**

Catra had eventually put our kiss on hold to mention that I stunk. It was true, I did. I hadn't changed out of the clothes from the days before and I still had sand hiding all over me. So much so, that when I got up from the bed, the duvet was littered in the fine crimson grains.

So there I was, in the bath. By order of Catra. I had filled the tub quite high and put in a little too many bubbles, causing a few of them to float over the side and onto the floor. I laid back, letting my ears rest just below the waterline but keeping my face above it. I couldn't hear anything, and I relished in the silence, thinking about nothing in particular. Catra crept into my mind's eye, disturbing my moment of thoughtlessness. I smiled; I just couldn't keep her out of my head. I wondered if she would want to bathe with me, instead of just using the showers in here. She's probably never had a bath in her life, her only real experience of being in water was swimming and... pain. Her words flashed into my head, _"I remember walking into that pool of my own will and he... I remember screaming. The pain... I couldn't stand it..."_ Maybe bathing with me could help her on her journey of overcoming that part of her past, I hoped it could. It would just be a small step, I knew that, but it could help. Replace those feelings of pain with feelings of warmth, comfort, safety. I suddenly felt a longing to see Catra again, to have her here with me.

I looked up at the ceiling. It was around mid-day now, my conversation with Glimmer had been quite early, and then after Catra told me her story we had slept for a short while. I felt a rumble within me as my stomach growled at the prospect of food. I should take Catra to get some air, some food, and then we would need to find Entrapta and ask about when we're leaving.

A knock sounded on the door. Catra?

I leant up slowly, careful not to disturb the water too much and send more bubbles flying. The door opened slowly, and Glimmer poked her head through the gap.

'Glimmer?'

She smiled, 'Hey, just came to check on you. Catra is wandering around the palace, said you'd be in here. You've been gone a while.'

'Yeah, everything's great. We just had a long nap.'

I slid back down into the water as I felt a blush encroaching on my face. My questions about marriage had immediately popped into my head at the sight of Glimmer. I hadn't expected to be given the chance to talk to her about it until much later on. I wanted to ask her about it. How to do it. If it was too soon.

'That's good. I spoke with her for a bit, she said she felt great. She looked good, like there was less troubling her. She mentioned that she agreed to go to Dryl, which is good. I also didn't really expect to see her out on her own so soon, I guess your talk went well? '

'Yeah, it was great. Well, what she said wasn't great. Though some of it was. It's great that she trusted me enough to tell me. She's also just... great. She's amazing. She told me everything and it made me feel... Glimmer, there's... There's something I wanted to ask you about...'

She gasped, 'Secret things?' I nodded and she smiled before making sure the door was closed, 'How can I help?'

After a deep breath I said, 'I wanted to ask you... about... marriage.'

I buried myself in the bubbles. A face in a sea of foamy pinkness. What was worrying me was the expression that slowly crept onto Glimmer's face. I couldn't decipher that glint in her eye, or the devilish smile that possessed her mouth.

I may regret asking.

'You want... to ask me... about marriage?' That grin never left her face. She was clearly enjoying this. I sunk into the bath, wanting to disappear.

I nodded.

'Is it about Catra?'

I nodded.

She squealed, bringing her fists up near her face and shaking them excitedly. 'I can't believe it! Well I can... but my best friend wants to ask me about marriage! And it's about her childhood friend who she's always loved!' Glimmer tried to calm herself. 'So,' she asked, still grinning, 'Anything specific you want to know?'

The bath was warm, but my face felt like it was on fire, 'I wanted to know... we were never taught about it in the Horde. I know Netossa and Spinnerella are married, Angella and Micah, Bow's dads. I know it symbolises their love for one another... but I don't know anything beyond that, really. So... yeah.'

Glimmer nodded, crossing her arms. 'I see. I see.' She found a dry shower stool and sat down, facing me, 'I can tell you the Bright Moon custom for marriage. The other kingdoms may have other methods, their own ways of doing it. But I can tell you ours.'

I nodded, 'That's okay! This is where we live, so it makes sense.'

'Okay. So,' she began, 'Marriage is sort of like a contract. But a nice one, not a scary one. It's basically a mutual and public statement of your love for one another. Many people do it because they feel it's the closest they can get to somebody. Almost like saying "I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

'It starts off as a question. One person asks the other if they will marry them. Then, if the other person accepts, it becomes a promise, called engagement.' I frowned for a second, and Glimmer noticed, 'It's not like engaging the enemy in battle, it's much more personal than that. You then decide on a time and place to marry, and you have a ceremony with the people who mean the most to you in attendance. Generally, upon proposal, that's the name of the question, if the other person accepts you give them something that means a lot to you. It can be pretty much anything, but generally it's something with importance to you personally, and you entrust it to that person. Then on the day, to solidify the marriage, they present you with something. My parents did it with rings, Spinnerella and Netossa had necklaces. What else happens during the ceremony is up to those getting married.'

Glimmer finished her explanation looking proud of herself, and then giggled excitedly before tapping her heels on the floor. 'Are you thinking about asking Catra? To marry you?'

I nodded; I liked the sound of it. It definitely felt like that could be the next step for us. 'It's not too soon?'

'Too soon? Adora, you've known each other forever, loved each other forever. If anything, now that the war's over and you've finally gotten together, it's perfect timing. But you could always wait, think on it, find the right time to ask. Do you know what to give her if she says yes?'

I wondered about that for a second, I suddenly couldn't think of anything that I owned that would be worthy enough to give to Catra if she were to agree to marry me.

'Oh!' Glimmer suddenly teleported over to my clothes, looking for something, before picking up my belt, 'How about this?'

'My belt?' I frowned, confused.

Glimmer laughed, 'No, Adora. Not the belt. The wing! You've been wearing it ever since you joined the rebellion, it would be perfect.'

That wasn't a half bad idea, I felt myself blushing from ear to ear, 'Yeah, that is perfect.'

Now all I had to do was ask.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi all, the first 12 chapters were written while I waited for my A03 invite email, which took almost a month, so they've all been uploaded together.  
> Subsequent chapters will be uploaded every few days or so.  
> Thanks for reading!


	13. The Moon Market

Catra had been exploring, that much was clear. The guards I asked were eager to tell me which way she went, but just as I thought I was catching up other guards would point off in a different direction. I couldn't help but wonder if she was testing me, to see how long it would take me to find her. Or if she was messing with the guards just to pass the time.

Eventually, I did find her. She was lying down on the grass near the greenhouse, Melog not far away, surrounded by the plants Shadow Weaver had been tending to while she was here. As I saw her, my pulse quickened, and I found that I was tracing the edge of the wing on my belt with my finger. Why was I nervous? I wasn't planning on just asking her to marry me straight away. I had to wait for the perfect moment. I tried to calm myself, now definitely wasn't the time. I had only just learnt what marriage was, I couldn't just ask as soon as I laid eyes on her. Though, as I got closer, I realised I was staring at her, all of her. She looked amazing as she basked in the sunlight, with her hands up behind her head and her legs stretched out lazily. Her eyes were closed, and I watched as her chest steadily rose and fell with each breath. Catra actually looked... _relaxed._ I marvelled at the sight and tried to commit it to memory. She was still wearing that sleeveless replica of her Horde uniform that Entrapta had made for her, which made perfect sense because she didn't actually own any other clothes here.

Before she had left to let me get out of the bath, Glimmer had reminded me that today was Moon Market day. The Moon Market was the biggest convention of traders on Etheria, with people coming from all over to sell their various specialty wares and food. I decided then and there that I would take Catra and have her pick out some clothes from my favourite stall. Besides, I also had something I wanted to do, someone I wanted to see.

Melog then raised their head and made what sounded like a low gurgling noise.

A small smile encroached on Catra's lips, 'Hey, Adora.' I don't know what it is about the way she sings my name, but she definitely knows what she's doing and is fully aware of the impact it has on me. I could tell, because Catra was currently smiling the most mischievous of smiles, keeping her eyes closed.

I smiled and stood over her, using my shadow to block the sun from landing on her face. 'Hey, Catra. Did Melog tell you I was here?'

'Well, for one, I can smell soap.' She opened her eyes and looked up at me, 'Secondly, I can't think of anyone else who would walk over to me and stand still without saying anything. And yes, Melog did just make sure I knew you were staring at me.' She smirked, 'You like what you see?'

I placed a hand on my hip and felt a small blush make itself known on my cheeks, 'Pfft... I mean... _Yeah_. Of course.'

She laughed and sprang swiftly to her feet. 'Damn right you do,' she said, wrapping her arms around my shoulders and leaning her face up towards mine.

I wrapped one arm around her waist and used my other hand to run my fingers through her hair, before closing the distance between us and feeling the warmth of her lips on mine.

I could tell something had changed about Catra, because she kissed me without holding back, without reservations, without worry. I felt how at ease she was through the way she accepted me wholeheartedly, her tail wrapping around my waist. Our lips parted and I felt her tongue clash with mine. I continued to hold her head with one hand while letting the other slip under her top, running my fingers through the incredibly soft fur beneath. A soft gasp escaped her as she felt my hand on her, and the kiss became faster, more passionate. I felt one of her hands tugging the elastic out of my hair before it fell to my shoulders, followed by the sensation of her fingers collecting my hair between them. Her claws weren't quite retracted, and I felt them sharp against my head; one hand formed a fist and gently pulled my hair, coaxing a sudden moan from deep within me. I opened my eyes and pulled back, looking into those beautiful mis-matched eyes.

'If you start doing that, we won't have time for what I've got planned...' I whisper, looking down her form and running my hands down her sides.

'Don't pretend like that's _not_ what you've got planned,' she whispered back.

'Well... not for right now.' I smile as Catra beams at me before giving me a quick peck on the lips and turning around, picking up a well-worn leather messenger bag that I hadn't noticed. 'What's in the bag? And... where'd you get the bag?' I asked, arching an eyebrow as she slung the strap over her torso.

'It's got my First Ones tech inside, I figured I should keep it nearby in case Entrapta tries to steal it. As for where I got it, I asked Arrow Boy for a bag. He said he used to use it as a pretend... school bag? Or something... didn't need it anymore. I don't know, I just needed a bag and he gave me this. It does the job.'

I nodded and hummed to myself, satisfied with the answer.

'So, Princess. Now that we know what you have planned for _later_... what do you have planned for right now?'

Smiling, I took her hand in mine and began leading her away, 'Oh, just you wait and see.'

**

Catra looked mortified.

I had led her down and out of the palace with following close behind, before steering us into the city of Bright Moon, then making for the main road. It was the widest road in Bright Moon, and as such was used to host a market once a year where folk from all the allied settlements gathered together to trade their wares.

Melog turned invisible as we neared the busy street, no doubt concentrating on keeping themselves out of the way. The sky still had that magical shine to it, which I found to be a small comfort as the sky in the Crimson Waste was anything but magical. I would have to go back eventually and thank Huntara for her help, even though she ended up getting nothing out of it. Although I suppose their food would stop dying now.

I brought myself back from my thoughts to marvel at how good the city looked already, the people had been working non-stop on the renovations and clear up, and Bright Moon looked almost as good as new. If not for the piles of rubble here and there and the odd hole in the ground. The stalls lined each edge of the street, most likely stretching on until the end of the road at the entrance to Bright Moon, and the road itself was sparsely crowded with a diverse mass of potential customers, but the numbers would grow as the market stretched into the night. There were Sea Elves from Salineas, Satyrs from Thaymor and Plumeria, Butterfly People from Elberon and Mushroomfolk from Erelandia. As well as your standard healthy mix of humans. There were even a few other Felines and Reptilians dotted throughout the crowd.

Because of the war there hadn't been a Moon Market last year. All the traders here were itching to sell some goods, hoping to pump some money back into their pockets. Unlike the majority of the stalls manned by Sea Elves, most of which had signs on or nearby that read "Profits go towards the rebuilding of Salineas, our home." I saw Catra wince when she saw those signs and remembered that she had been there with Hordak on the day of that particular attack.

I stopped, looking back at her, 'How are you doing?'

Catra looked around nervously, her ears twitching, 'There's so many people here...'

I put my hands on her shoulders, 'Catra, none of these people hate you.' I put a hand to her cheek, caressing it softly, 'Look at me, you're fine. No one is whispering about you; everyone is here to enjoy the first Moon Market in months.'

She looked at me then, and almost chuckled, 'Moon Market? What kind of name is that?'

'I'll explain it to you later,' I said before looking around. I was trying to find one of my favourite stalls, one which always had a huge variety of... there! 'Come on!' I shouted, leading her through the crowd by her hand.

I loved this stall, it always seemed to have exactly what you wanted. There were lines of tables with piles of clothes on top, seemingly just thrown there at random and not neat or orderly at all. Catra seemed sceptical.

' _This_ is why we're here?' She asked while frowning at the mess.

'Yes! I figured we would have some time before we have to find Entrapta and knowing her she's probably here somewhere doing some kind of social experiment. Besides, you need some clothes, you can't keep wearing this forever,' I run my hand down her back before stopping at her hip, 'despite how good you look in it.'

I smiled victoriously when I saw the blush appear on her cheeks, 'Yeah, well... I mean, I guess it wouldn't hurt to look... wait we do even have any money?'

'Aha!' I said, reaching for my pocket and pulling out a small amulet with moon emblazoned on the front, 'This is one of the perks of being a princess in Bright Moon.' I said, holding it up to show Catra, 'I get access to the "princess fund" and can pretty much buy whatever I want.' I beamed.

'No way! They are spoiling you! No wonder you never came back!' Catra laughed, and I felt my heart ache at seeing her enjoying herself.

I shook myself from the trance, 'See that lady there?' I pointed at an old Satyr woman, sat on a rocking chair while knitting something together. Catra nodded. 'She owns the stall, she's awesome, come say hi.'

Hesitantly, Catra joins me in walking over to the ancient-looking Satyr. She had long, grey hair covering most of her face, with long winding horns forming spirals above her head. By all accounts, she was tiny, but seemed to fill the chair just fine. Her eyes were closed, with the hint of a smile on her lips. She never stopped knitting. I stood in front of her and bowed deeply, putting my hand on Catra's back and urging her to do the same.

When we rise again, Catra whispered in my ear, 'Why did we just bow?' 

I look back at her, confused, 'I have no idea, everyone does it though. Must be a sign of respect, I think she's always been in this market.' Now that I looked at her, she did remind me a little of Madame Razz.

'Does she have a name?'

'Uh... Bleatrix, I think?' I turned back to the old Satyr and presented my amulet, 'Hi there! My...' I looked at Catra quizzically, not knowing what to call her. She was more than a friend, but we're not married so I can't call her my wife. I gave up. 'Catra, here, would like to pick out some clothes.' I put my hands on her shoulders, as if presenting her to the woman. 'It's Adora, by the way. The palace will cover the costs of what she picks out in my name.'

Bleatrix rocks forward in her chair once, seemingly without moving a muscle and without pausing from her knitting. I find her bewildering, and anyone you ask in the Moon Market will tell you that they've never seen her arrive, never seen her leave, and never heard her say a word.

'I think that means "yes." Look, I'll show you what to do.' I say, leading Catra over to the nearest pile of clothes on a table. Before sticking my hand into the pile and rummaging around.

Catra looks amused, 'What _exactly_ am I looking at here?'

'Just watch!' I grin excitedly, and I pull out a red jacket almost identical to my own, except without the shoulder pads.

Catra's eyes almost double in size, 'You pulled that out without looking?'

'Isn't it great?' I put the jacket against myself and look up to Catra, 'What do you think?'

She has her hand on her chin, considering, 'You should definitely get that, and wear it instead of your old one.'

I frown, 'What's wrong with this one?' I look down at the jacket I'm currently wearing.

'Oh, nothing... I just think that one could suit you more.'

I follow Catra's gaze to my shoulders, and sigh, 'Alright, fine. I'll get it, but only because you said I should.' I find a cloth bag nearby and stuff the jacket inside, before handing it to Catra, 'Here, pull some things out that suit you. Not that anything you find won't, that's kind of the point. I look forward to your fashion show. I'll be right back.' I kiss her on the cheek and start moving away, towards another of my favourite stalls.

'Wait!' Catra grabs my wrist, 'Where are you going?'

'I'm just heading to another stall; I won't be long. Got a little personal errand to run.' I tried to stop myself from smiling.

Catra seemed suspicious, but eased off her grip on my wrist, 'Alright... don't leave me here on my own for too long.'

I smiled and cupped her face with my hands before kissing her on the lips, earning a few startled glances from passers-by. 'I won't, I promise.'

Catra watched me go for a second, before turning back and facing the mound of clothes and gingerly reaching inside it. I turned to look for the stall I wanted and found it quickly. It was almost directly opposite Bleatrix's clothes stall, as it usually is, and the owner was grinning at me. She was a strong looking Sea Elf, her head resembling that of a deep-sea angler fish, with a little light glowing at the end of a unique dorsal ray protruding from her forehead. Her skin was bronze, and she had two big, claw-like hands which clasped together as she watched me approach and a wide, toothy grin possessed her face.

Her name was Anga, and we had become friends during my first Moon Market when she saw me looking lost and out of place after being separated from an overexcited Bow and Glimmer. She was a blacksmith, and her stall was filled with intricate looking plates of armour and a few small daggers. But she also dabbled in jewellery, which was inside a small case to one side. A small forge burned hot behind her, with an anvil and rack of tools stood nearby. There was also a grindstone for sharpening swords. She was known for making quick, small adjustments to things that needed a quick fix, but was also able to take items off your hands and have them repaired back in her village at her main forge, where she made all the armour on show here today. Much of it reminded me of the kind of armour Mermista wore, as much of it resembled shells or featured patterns seen in coral. ****

'Adora!' Anga called as I drew closer, 'It's so good to see you!' She came around the side of her stall and pulled me into a tight hug, winding me instantly.

'Ah! Hi... Anga... good to... see you... too...' I managed to say between shallow breaths as I clumsily hugged her back.

She released me and walked back around behind her stall, and I noticed she had a sign up that read "all profits go toward the rebuilding of my home." A pang of guilt shot through me as I read it, we had been too busy exposing Double Trouble at the time, and her village was one of the ones that Hordak and Catra destroyed when they took Salineas.

'I really am sorry about your village, Anga.'

'Oh, don't dwell on that, Adora! We're all fine now, getting on with rebuilding. I'm just happy I had enough supplies left over so I could open up my stall!' She released a loud, throaty laugh, 'And I suppose I have you to thank for ending the war and making all this possible.'

I held up my hands defensively, 'Oh, no! I can't take all the credit! All the other princesses helped too, including Mermista.'

Anga nodded, 'You're not wrong, but I just wanted to thank my friend for helping out anyhow. Say, you look happy, Adora. I'm glad to see you found yourself a good-looking girlfriend.'

 _Girlfriend?_ I looked back at Catra, who was sticking her arm into a different pile of clothes on Beatrix's stall. Is that what we were? _Girlfriends?_ I felt myself blushing as I watched her.

Catra's my girlfriend.

Anga followed my gaze, 'Yeah, that's the one. I saw you two smooching over there, my jaw near fell off out of shock!' There was that laugh again, loud and friendly. She leant down on the table in front of her, speaking lower and quieter now, 'So what can I do you for, Adora?'

I snapped myself back to the moment, looking away from Catra and back at Anga, who was waiting patiently for me to speak. I reached into my pocket and pulled out the scale that had fallen off the snake creature in the Crimson Waste, its glossy deep orange surface shimmered in the sunlight.

Anga whistled, 'Now you don't see those very often.' She held it up as I passed it to her, examining it, 'I guess you want it making into something?'

I nodded, 'Yeah, I was thinking I might need a new belt clip soon. Y'know, just in case I lose this one...' I ran a hand over the golden wing, immediately thinking about proposing to Catra.

'Ha! You better not lose that, you little scamp.' Anga bellowed, 'I gave you that as a gift the first day we met. Cheered you right up, you've worn it ever since!' She took the scale over to another worktable and sat down, fishing through some drawers and pulling out some small tools before measuring the scale. 'This shouldn't take long.'

Leaning back on the stall table, I looked back over at Catra. She was holding something burgundy up against her torso, but I couldn't quite see what it was, exactly. Melog seemed to be watching and bobbed his head, which was followed by Catra stuffing the garment into the bag before reaching into the pile of clothes again.

 _Girlfriend_.

I couldn't help but wonder if Catra knew about that word, the word that describes us as we are now. My mind then wandered to the closing ceremony of the Moon Market, which takes place after dark and features an aurora as the main attraction, projected from the Moon Runestone. It's a spectacle that can only be pulled off by the Queen as they have the closest connection to it. No wonder Glimmer kept coming to check on me this morning, she was likely distracting herself from the expectation of all these people to see, once again, those beautiful lights that shine in the sky. I had seen Angella do it plenty of times, and it really was a sight to behold. Part of me wondered if I could propose to Catra under that light show, and if she would accept.

I felt my finger tracing the edge of the wing as it hung on my belt. Maybe today would be too soon, just spending tonight watching the lights with her would be enough. After all, I had just found out that we were girlfriends, and I wanted to be Catra's girlfriend for a little while longer.

'There you go, scamp.'

Anga roused me from my daydreaming as she passed the scale back to me, it had been fitted with the same clasp on the back as my current belt clip. Attached lengthways across the scale so that it points downwards, resembling a shield.

I smiled, 'Thanks, Anga. It looks great.' I admired it in my hand, watching it shimmer in the light before pocketing my future belt clip. 'You can charge it to the palace, as usual,' I flashed her the amulet; she knew I had it, but she had to see it anyway.

'You're not planning on losing your other one on purpose, are you?' She asked, an eyebrow raised.

I hesitated before answering, 'No I'm not, I'm... planning on giving it to someone.'

Anga grinned, looking back over at Catra. She couldn't have guessed...

She tapped the side of her nose with a sharp claw while giving me a knowing look, 'Go get 'em, tiger.'

I felt a wave of warmth flood my face. How could she have... never mind. I gave Anga my thanks once again, almost stuttering on the words, before making my way back over to Catra.

It seemed like Catra had finished as she was stood at the edge of the stall, looking out into the crowd, trying to spot me. The cloth bag hung loosely in her hands and seemed to be filled to the brim with clothes that Catra had picked out for herself. There was some kind of magic around Bleatrix's stall which meant you could only really find things that suited you, but I hadn't expected Catra to choose quite so much. I couldn't help but feel a spring in my step as I got closer, excited to see what she had picked out.

Melog noticed me first once again, nudging Catra's leg. She looked over in my direction and her eyes lit up as she saw me, an adorable smile spreading across her face. I felt a wave of giddy glee wash over me at the sight of Catra looking genuinely happy to see me.

'So... what did you find?' I asked, trying to peer into the bag as I stopped in front of her.

Catra pulled the bag back, hiding it behind her. 'I'll show you. Eventually,' she quipped, 'Is that all? Are we done here?'

I looked around, 'If you don't want to stay any longer then I guess we can go.' I shrugged, 'We really should head over to Darla and see if Entrapta is around. We need to know how long it's going to be before she's setting off.' I wished inwardly that it would be at least tomorrow so I could experience the Moon Market closing ceremony with Catra.

'Alright then, let's go.' Her eagerness to leave was not masked in the slightest.

I waved my thanks to Bleatrix who just rocked forwards on her chair in response, and I led Catra through the crowd back toward the palace.

But we didn't get far.

My nose and growling stomach had given away how hungry I was, and we ended up sampling various foods from a huge variety of vendors who seemed genuinely happy to see people eating and enjoying their food once again.

Catra had to practically drag me away from plenty of other stalls in the market too, one in particular had a knife that was just _asking_ to be kept under my pillow. But Catra argued that her claws would be better than a knife any day, to which I responded, 'Are you saying that you'll be in bed with me _every day_ from now on? To protect me?'

She fumbled over her words after that, as her face steadily turned redder, 'Well... I mean... I guess... if you want me there... I would like to be. Haven't we shared a bed every night since I told you I loved you anyway?'

A Mushroomfolk couple walking nearby chorused an "Aww" as they overheard us and Catra immediately tensed, embarrassed that someone overheard her, but relaxed as I placed my hand on her cheek.

I didn't think it would be possible to love someone this much, and I pressed my lips to hers before whispering, 'We have. And I love you too.'

'You're such a sap.' She whispered, and I could hear the low hum of a purr above the hubbub of the crowd as I rested my forehead against hers.

'Don't pretend you don't love it.' I replied, kissing her again. And again. And again.

'Adora...' I saw a nervous smile take over her mouth, 'We're in the middle of a market...' her ears twitched, 'People are starting to notice that I'm being kissed by She-Ra.'

It was true, a small crowd had started gathering. Everyone had started whispering gossip about Adora, saviour of Etheria, kissing Catra, ex-horde soldier. I couldn't help but chuckle, 'I guess all of Etheria is going to know we're together now.'

Catra sighed, 'You're such an idiot.' She leant in to kiss me again, just as Melog appeared at her side and turned us invisible, hiding us from our little audience and allowing us to escape unseen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anga is based on a background character seen in three short scenes on the boat at the start of S4:E8 Boys' Night Out.


	14. Aurora

With Melog's help we were able to get away from the market without anyone noticing, before making our way towards Darla and, hopefully, Entrapta. The streets of Bright Moon were quiet now compared to the market, as the daylight began to fade. This heralded the busiest time for the market, and it wouldn't be long now until Glimmer had to amplify the Moon Runestone's power to cause an aurora to appear in the sky, as was tradition. I made a mental note to check in on her after finishing up here, just to make sure she wasn't too nervous.

It didn't take long for us to reach the palace courtyard which served as a temporary landing area for Darla. Wrong Hordak was stood at the foot of the ship's ramp, looking up inside it. As he saw us approaching his face displayed a huge grin.

'Brothers!' He exclaimed, swinging his arms wide and dropping the crate of components he had been holding with a clatter, the contents spilling out over the stone slabs. He winced at the sound it made, before bending down and starting to pick up the bits and pieces that had fallen out of the crate.

'Will you be careful!' A deep voice bellowed from inside the ship, 'I gave you a simple task, to hold that crate and stand still! Don't say you are incapable of such a simple...' The voice stopped as its origin paused halfway down the ramp. Hordak looked identical to Wrong Hordak now, especially without the cloak, but his expression and anger singled him out immediately. He regarded us with a passive curiosity, 'Ah, Adora, and Force Captain Catra. Entrapta has been anticipating your visit for some time.'

'Do NOT! CALL ME THAT!' Catra yelled. She caught me off guard and I almost jumped back out of surprise, but I was able to stand my ground and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. Melog had started glowing red and sharp behind us, growling. Catra took a deep breath, placing her palms together in front of her face before lowering them. 'Please,' she continued, calmly, 'It's just Catra.'

Hordak seemed almost amused, the hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. 'Very well, _just_ Catra.'

I beamed. Hordak had just made a joke. I turned to see that Catra was much less enthusiastic about it than me, and she started heading off towards the palace. 'Just come find me when you're done, Adora. I need to put this bag down.'

I ran after her when I realised how far away she had managed to get so quickly, grabbing her wrist before she could go any further, stopping her in her tracks. 'What?' She barked, but I didn't reply. Instead, I spun her around and held her face in my hands before pressing my lips against hers, causing her to drop the bag full of clothes.

'Did you think you could just walk away without kissing me?' I asked, melting under her surprised gaze.

Finding her composure was something Catra was getting better at, annoyingly. 'What's gotten into you, Adora?' She whispered softly, stroking a loose strand of hair behind my ear. 'You've been kissing me all day.'

I smiled and pressed our foreheads together, 'Maybe it's because I want to. Maybe it's because I've always wanted to.' I kissed her again gently, 'Maybe I never want to stop.'

Catra bit her lip and whispered hungrily, 'Never stop,' before initiating a longer, deeper kiss than before. Time always seemed to slow down when Catra kissed me, but every time she pulled away I felt as if it was too soon, 'But maybe we shouldn't make a habit of doing it in wide open spaces in the middle of a city.' She grinned, before peeling herself off of me and picking the bag back up off the floor and adjusting the other bag on her shoulder. 'I'll be in your room,' she sung back to me as she started walking away again, Melog following close behind.

'It's _OUR_ room!' I shouted back, smiling.

_I want to marry her._

After watching Catra enter the palace I turned and walked back towards Darla, smiling to myself. Something about deciding that I would propose to Catra one day, perhaps soon, made me feel like kissing her all the time. It was a hard feeling to pin down, but it was even harder to resist kissing Catra. Which is why I just let myself go for it a bunch today, she never shied away after all, even in front of all those people. It definitely wouldn't be long before news travelled, merchants and traders lived for this kind of gossip to share over their next deal at their next destination.

Hordak was watching Wrong Hordak closely as he carried the box of components into the ship, putting it down next to a huge pile of other strange looking machinery and crates filled with tech. Then it occurred to me that Entrapta still wasn't anywhere in sight. 'Hey, uh... Hordak,' he looked down at me from the top of the ramp, 'Is Entrapta here?'

Hordak narrowed his gaze, 'No. However, she implored that she would be back soon.'

Shrugging, I decided to wait. I hopped up the ramp, deciding to have a look around Darla to pass the time. To say it was a mess was an understatement, especially considering how tidy the ship was before Entrapta was given the all clear to tinker with it. Now, panels lay on the floor with wires spilling out of the walls. Not to mention that the ship was also currently being loaded with all the equipment that Entrapta had been using while in Bright Moon. The majority of it was just crates of tech she had collected, including a couple of broken up Horde drones. I picked my steps carefully through Darla's main corridor, being careful not to trip over anything important.

Arriving on the bridge, I looked around at the chaos that was the computer systems. Whatever Entrapta was doing to Darla, it went deep. She may even be rewiring the entire ship, top to bottom. I sat in the chair in the centre of the bridge, the captain's chair, the same place Mara had sat centuries before. But that thought flickered and dimmed in my mind's eye as I was reminded of Catra leaping over and sitting in my lap, trying to distract me. It had worked, and I had still been distracted long after she got up.

A deep voice sounded from behind me, startling my thoughts back to the present, 'Adora. Do not be alarmed.' Hordak walked around the chair slowly, before stopping in front of me. 'I had hoped we might... clear the air between us, considering you'll be accompanying Entrapta, my brother, and myself to Dryl.'

I looked him over quizzically. The ex-leader of the Horde, someone I worked to please for 18 years of my life, was now stood before me asking to clear the air. I laughed at the fantastically bizarre nature of how we came to be here, in this moment, before clearing my throat and nodding. 'Yeah, sure. Why not? I'll just have a heart to heart with my ex-boss. I've definitely had stranger things happen.'

Hordak made a grunting sound I couldn't quite decipher, before grabbing a nearby crate and planting it a short distance in front of my chair. Then, he sat on it, facing me. 'I have had a long time to think,' be began, choosing his words carefully, 'I don't believe I have ever directly caused you harm. I was always obsessed with the notion of making my brother proud. Getting a message to him, showing him what I was capable of after he cast me out.' He paused, 'I found you, on your own, in the middle of nowhere, after tracking the energy signature of a portal. I took you back to the Fright Zone with me and gave the order for you to be put with the other orphans in the infirmary. However, Shadow Weaver sensed something in you, and took you in as her own. I can only... apologise... for the way she treated you, the way she treated Catra. I was too blinded by own ambition to pay any mind to what she was doing. The way I am now, the person I am trying to be - for Entrapta - would never stand by and allow such things to happen.'

He held my gaze while he spoke, and I could tell it was something he had been contemplating for a while. Hordak, the ex-leader of the Horde, the man who caused pain and anguish to flood across Etheria for decades... was sat in front of me on a crate, dejected, apologising for the way I was treated. I could tell he was trying to change and Entrapta had certainly had a powerful influence on him to elicit this kind of response.

'Listen, Hordak...' I began, 'I never did meet you while I was in the Horde. You would always speak through Shadow Weaver. But I know that you _did_ hurt Catra after I left and a part of me will never forgive you for that; and if I know Catra, she won't either. I do appreciate that you're trying to change, and I think it's sweet that you're doing it for Entrapta. She's lucky to have a lab partner who cares about her as much as you do.'

Hordak looked down at the floor between us and seemed to be considering what I said. 'Would Catra listen... if I tried to apologise?'

I leant back in the chair, resting my head against the firm backrest. 'I don't know. But you'll have a lot of chances to talk to her, maybe you could get through to her eventually.'

'Very well.' He stood up, apparently content with the outcome of our little conversation, and moved to return the crate to where it had been before.

As he placed it down, I heard the clanking of metal on metal steadily getting louder. The door slid open just fast enough to allow Emily to charge through the door unobstructed onto the bridge, Entrapta sat atop the bot holding a rattling crate above her head.

'HORDAK!' She squealed, before leaping off of Emily and using her hair to rush over to him. 'Look what I found in the market! Random bits of tech I'll probably never need! Isn't this exciting! After observing the people trading, I decided to have a go myself!'

Hordak did not look impressed with the contents of the crate, and instead coughed pointedly while motioning towards where I was sat with his hand.

Entrapta whirled around on her hair, before looking genuinely confused to see me there. 'Adora? What are you doing here? We're not leaving for Dryl until the morning.'

I stood up, completely taken aback by her limitless energy, 'I was just wondering when we're leaving for Dryl?'

'I just told you, in the morning.'

I facepalmed. 'Yes. You did. Uh... okay. How long are we staying? And what's the plan regarding Catra's First Ones tech?'

She put the crate down before forming her hair into a seat and perching on it, 'Well, I'm going to need to scan her for a start. Possibly compare the readings to other magical entities, such as yourself. It would also be greatly appreciated if you could somehow make her do it again!'

'Do what again?'

'Use the tech! I don't know how it was triggered last time, but my hypothesis from what I've pieced together is that it was not intentional. What you need to do is have Catra use the tech intentionally and, in theory, effectively. Then I can _really_ start to see how it works!'

I considered for a moment. It would be good for Catra to learn to use the tech properly, and I would be lying if I said I wasn't curious to find out what else it could do. 'Alright, fine.' I stated, 'I'll talk to Catra and see how she feels, but I'm on board.'

'GREAT!' Shouted Entrapta, her voice echoing around the bridge, 'I'll see you in the morning bright and early! Oh, and to answer your earlier question, you can stay as long as you want but the longer you stay the more research I can do!'

'We'll see, Entrapta. See you tomorrow!' I waved my goodbyes before making my way out of the ship, Wrong Hordak winked at me as I left. I let him have that one, he seemed to enjoy it.

It was dark out now, which meant that Glimmer would be preparing for the closing ceremony of the Moon Market. I decided I would pay her a visit to check up on her and see how she was doing. She would no doubt be nervous and would be feeling the pressure of wanting to pull off a flawless aurora. It would be her first time doing it, as the last time a Moon Market was held was a couple of months before Queen Angella never came back from the portal reality.

There was a certain eerie atmosphere to the palace at night and seeing the halls drenched in shadow always sent shivers down my spine, briefly awakening a deep-rooted paranoia that any of them could stand upright at any minute and berate me about my shoelaces being tied wrong. I hurried my pace, hunting through the palace for any sign of life. Eventually, I reached the throne room and discovered why the rest of the palace seemed so empty. It was fully lit, with guards lining the walls. I spotted Micah off to one side, talking to an attendant. He smiled and snuck a small wave at me before pointing further back, singling out Glimmer and Bow who were talking nearer the thrones. I shot him a smile and a nod before making my way across the floor towards them.

Glimmer shone a huge smile at me once she spotted me and teleported closer, before wrapping me in a huge hug. 'Adora!'

I hugged her back, being careful not to stumble, 'Woah! What's happening?'

Bow came over and let out a sigh, 'Glimmer has been freaking out since we came up here, the nerves are getting too much – I've been trying to calm her down but nothing I say seems to help.'

I pulled back from our hug and locked eyes with Glimmer, staring into her soul. She stared back, obviously not expecting this sudden intense eye contact. 'Glimmer,' I started, making my voice sound as stern as I could, 'You're the Queen of Bright Moon. If anyone can do this, it's you! I believe in you, and I know Angella would too. Just channel all your feelings into that Runestone, and I'm sure you'll be able to put on an amazing first show that no one out there will forget anytime soon.'

Glimmer nodded, 'Channel my feelings... I can do that...' She pulled out of the hug and turned to face Bow. 'I think I need a boost,' she whispered, before wrapping her arms around him and pulling him close, pressing their lips together gently. Bow soon eased into it too, wrapping his arms around her and holding her to him. I suppressed an excited yelp. This was the first time I had seen them kissing, but it soon became apparent that it was going to go on for a lot longer than I thought it would. I looked around the room, smiling nervously, wondering if I should just leave. A few of the guards had noticed and were trying not to look whereas Micah had his back turned entirely, still talking to that attendant who had noticed and was looking wide-eyed over Micah's shoulder.

I took a few steps backwards, inching away from them, and almost jumped when Glimmer turned to look at me. She laughed and looked apologetic, 'Sorry, Adora. Thank you for your help, I feel much better.'

'I feel like Bow did most of the work there,' I insisted, holding my hands up in defence.

'Even so,' replied Glimmer, 'You gave me the idea.'

'Well, glad I could help.' I gave her another quick hug, 'You'll do great.'

She smiled and squeezed me back, 'Thanks, Adora. Now go, I can tell you're itching to go find Catra. Where is she anyway?'

'Unless she's wandering around again, she should be in our room. We'll have a good view of the city from there too, so we should be able to see the aurora when its time.' Glimmer looked at me with a look that suggested she knew otherwise, 'No, Glimmer! We will be watching! I'll make sure of it!'

Glimmer laughed, 'It's okay, Adora. I won't be offended if you're busy.'

'It's your first Moon Market aurora, I wouldn't miss it for anything.'

Bow's eyes suddenly lit up as he remembered something, 'Adora!' He whispered as quietly as he could through his excitement, 'When are you proposing to Catra? Have you done it already?'

I felt my face heat up instantly and Glimmer gave me an apologetic look while mouthing "sorry."

'I... I, uh...' I struggled to fine the words and placed my hand on the back of my neck, suddenly feeling quite shy, 'I haven't yet, I'm going to wait for the right moment. I've decided I want to be her girlfriend for a little while longer first.'

Glimmer and Bow exchanged excited looks before pulling me into a hug.

'I'm so happy for you, Adora!' Giggled Glimmer, burying her face into my shoulder.

'You make such a good couple!' Bow wailed, seemingly on the verge of tears.

I couldn't help but laugh at the sudden show of support, squeezing the both of them back as hard as I could, 'Thank you, guys. You're the best.'

'Of course we are,' said Bow, leaning back, 'We're the best friend squad!'

Eventually, I was able to peel myself away from the crushing embrace of my two best friends and promptly left the throne room in search of Catra. I felt giddy, excited. I wasn't sure why, but I felt the urge to wrap Catra up in my arms, bury my face in her fur and never let go. The hallways seemed less spooky this time around, as I practically skipped towards our shared bedroom. It didn't take long before I was outside the door. I pressed my ear against it, I could hear Catra mumbling, probably talking to Melog. I smiled to myself, before swinging the door open and being greeted by a sight that made my face heat up immediately.

Catra was stood in front of the mirror, wearing nothing but a pair of black underwear and a black bra. This was nothing like the usual grey shorts and top she had been wearing and was nothing like the undergarments we were supplied in the horde. This showed off a lot more of her, and I couldn't help but stare. Catra was usually fast, but my sudden entrance had frozen both her and Melog to the spot, and it took a second for her to process what was happening. Once her mind caught up, she let out an embarrassed yell before diving under the covers of the bed. Melog simply laid back down, in a way that seemed almost amused.

That was not what I had been expecting. I slowly closed the door behind me before clumsily stepping over towards the bed, eyeing up the open bag of clothes near the mirror and her black and red Horde clothes in a pile nearby. She must have gotten bored of waiting and decided to try on some of the clothing she had picked out from Bleatrix's stall. Catra steadily repositioned herself, poking half her head out of the top of the duvet and watching me. Her face was as bright red as mine must be.

'Hey, Adora...' It was almost a whisper, and I had definitely caught her off guard.

I smiled, and found that I couldn't stop, 'Hey... you okay?'

Catra nodded slowly, before grumbling, 'You could have at least knocked!'

I slowly sat on the end on the bed, facing away from her, and started taking off my jacket. 'I didn't think I would need to knock,' I said as I started taking off one of my boots.

I felt the bed dip slightly behind me and stopped to centre myself. I couldn't help but smile as I imagined Catra crawling along the bed towards me. I didn't look round, instead letting her have this moment. I leant down to start taking off the other boot, and once I had finished, placing them neatly side-by-side at the foot of the bed, that's when I felt it. That warmth I loved so much. Catra pressed herself up against me, her arms slowly wrapping around my waist, her face against my neck.

'You... you don't have to...' she whispered.

I felt a shiver course through me as I felt her breath on my neck, and then I let out a gasp as her fangs brushed against my skin. 'Catra...'

'Do you like what I'm wearing, Adora?' She teased; her confidence restored. I was tense as I felt her fangs slowly moving across my neck.

'Mhm...' was the only sound I could make at that moment, before I managed to say, 'I do... you look amazing... I... I want to see you again...'

'You do?'

I nodded.

'I don't know...'

I groaned, 'Catra...'

Her hands edged down towards the base of my top, careful working their way under the fabric. They were so warm, so soft...

A flash from outside brought me back to reality, and I suddenly remembered about the aurora. 'Wait!' I yelled, 'We have to watch Glimmer's aurora!' I jumped up from the bed and ran to the balcony, looking across towards the Moon Runestone.

I couldn't see Glimmer from here, but I could see the Runestone pulsing with energy. Glimmer was pouring everything she had into it, all her strength, her feelings, and emotions. The sight that unfolded next reminded me of the Crystal Castle's beacon. The Moon Runestone beamed a surge of light into the sky, before it exploded far above like a firework, brilliant flashes of colour lit up the sky in a dazzling display of magic, joining with the energy that was already present in the sky and making it all the more impressive. Then, as the beam of light faded, the magic settled into slowly waving streaks of light that seemed to stretch across the horizon. Every time I saw it, I was amazed, and this time knowing my friend was the one that created it made it even more impressive. I was frozen in wonder as I watched the colour dance across the twilight, then felt a surge of pride that Glimmer was able to pull it off. I then felt a warmth covering my shoulders as the duvet was draped over me. Catra was behind me again and wrapped her arms around my waist while looking up into the sky. She had been stood behind me, watching in awe, and now surrounded us both the warmth of the bedding.

'What is this?' She wondered out loud.

'It's the closing ceremony for the Moon Market,' I explained, 'It only happens once a year, so the Queen of Bright Moon puts on a show for all those who came.'

'Huh. Good job, Sparkles.'

No longer being able to look away, I turned around to face her, making sure not to knock the duvet from around us. I closed my eyes and leant into her, letting my hands travel. She purred as I explored her, brushing over her new underwear, weaving my fingers between her fur. I felt her grip tighten around me as I dug in my fingers, applying pressure. I started kissing her collarbone, and worked my up her neck, satisfied with the noises she was making as I went. Then I leant back and looked into her eyes, my arms around her waist and her arms around my shoulders. The aurora danced above us, its colours spectacular and its form extraordinary.

But all I was looking at in that moment was Catra. Looking into those eyes that make my heart melt.

_Ask her._

I shook the thought away. I had decided not to, not yet.

But she looks so beautiful...

_Ask her to marry you._

I gulped and started to speak before I could stop myself, 'Catra...'

She tilted her head quizzically, 'Hm?'

'Catra... will... will you...'

She smiled, and I found myself entranced by it, 'Will I what, dummy? Use your words.'

'I... Catra...' I leant forwards and kissed her before I could speak any more. She kissed me back, welcoming my lips on hers. 'Catra... I love you.'

'I love you too, Adora. Now let's go back inside before I catch a cold.' She pulled back, taking the duvet and wrapping it around herself before heading back into the room.

I sighed and looked up at the aurora, putting my hand on my chest. My hands were shaking, and my heart felt like it was going to beat out of my chest. I had never felt that nervous before in my entire life. I jumped on the spot a couple of times to regain some control over my legs, which were seconds away from turning to jelly.

'This may be the most difficult thing I've ever had to do,' I whispered to myself, looking up at the swirling magic in the sky. It really was a sight to behold, and watching it helped me to calm my raging nerves.

 _'Adora!'_ I always loved the way Catra says my name, 'If you don't come back soon I'm going to get changed!'

'Don't you dare!' I called back, before heading back inside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading so far and I hope you're enjoying the story!   
> Follow me on Instagram @iorekofthehorde for updates or to let me know what you think!


	15. Stay Close to me

I couldn't sleep.

I stared at the ceiling, watching the reflection of the aurora as it bounced off the pool of water into the room. It looked like the whole room was underwater, as the colourful light waved across the walls. I never did get a response from Glimmer about what that waterfall pool was actually for, or why it was part of my room. She would always laugh and shake her head, as if I had told a funny joke.

Catra laid on her side, facing away from me, radiating an endless supply of warmth. I looked down what I could see of her neck and back before my wandering gaze was blocked by the duvet.

We had... made out. A lot. Catra had then stripped off her underwear and relinquished me of my clothes, before teasing me for a while and then, after giving me a devilish grin, decided that it was time to sleep. I had never felt frustration like it, to just be left hanging after so much build up... Catra had fallen asleep quickly, and normally I would have too, but the combination of only being teased with the fact I couldn't stop my mind from racing about how I had almost proposed earlier was keeping me awake.

_Will you marry me?_

It seemed like such an easy question, but it had almost bested me. Waiting and being her girlfriend was still my plan, but in that moment she had looked so beautiful that I almost asked her then and there. I hadn't even managed to say all the words but I had started shaking, my knees almost giving way and my heart pounding out of my chest. I greatly underestimated what it takes to ask that question and I felt a newfound source of respect for Micah and Spinnerella, who had been the ones to ask. I wasn't sure which of Bow's dads had proposed, but I guessed it could have been Lance. Or George. Either of them could have, actually.

Breaking from that line of thought I instead thought back to Catra and my question. My lingering question. Patience was not one of my strong suits, but I would have to wait. Wait for the right moment.

I could tell this was going to hang over me, but I couldn't worry about it too much. The moment would arrive, and I would know it when it did.

Catra was breathing slowly, deeply, probably lost in a sea of dreams. I cast my mind toward her and wondering what she could be dreaming about. Unable to picture anything I smiled, just hoping that I was in it somewhere and we were happy.

Flashes of red suddenly started appearing across the room, illuminating it far more than the pool's reflection did. I sat up, and saw that it was Melog, flashing an angry red periodically in their sleep. But if Melog was turning red then that means...

Catra. Her breathing had suddenly become more erratic, I had only just looked at her and she had seemed fine. Small whimpers escaped her and her whole body started twitching, her legs jutted out at random angles sporadically. Was she running from something in the dream? I didn't know what to do. She had mentioned that she still had nightmares, but I had never been awake to see one.

'No... no...'

Sleep talking was something I had never seen her do before either, the words sent a pang of worry shooting through me.

'No... A-Adora...'

My name? What was the nightmare about? I looked around the room as if trying to find something that would help. Melog was still asleep but was glowing a fierce scarlet.

'No... stop... Adora!'

I swallowed my worry and moved up behind her, wrapping my arm around her and pressing myself up against her.

'I'm here...' I whispered, 'I'm here.'

A few seconds passed, and I thought the nightmare must have subsided.

All of a sudden Catra sat upright and shouted, 'Adora!' Now wide awake she gasped for breath, wiping sweat from her forehead. Seeming confused of her surroundings she looked around the room, taking it in, reminding herself of where she was.

I sat up and wrapped my arms around her from behind. She yelped, not expecting the contact, but I held on. 'It's just me, Catra. I'm here.'

Her hands held mine and I felt her body start to shake, and something dripped on my arm. She was crying...

'Adora...' she turned and wrapped her arms around me, crying into the crook of my neck. I held her, stroking one hand through her hair and keeping the other firm against her, holding her close. I tried to spot Melog, but they had vanished.

'I'm here, Catra. I'm okay. You're okay.' I felt her claws dig into my back as she cried, and we stayed like that for a while. I let her cry for as long as she needed. Tears started to fall from my eyes too, it wasn't easy listening to person you love cry their eyes out while clinging onto you. Just this morning I had done the same thing, crying into Catra as she held onto me. We were such a mess.

When it seemed the worst had past, when her cries had quietened, her claws retracted, and her hands started slowly stroking the scars on my back; I smiled a gentle smile and whispered, 'I love you.'

Slowly, Catra moved back from my embrace, keeping her arms around me. Her eyes glistened in the twilight. I had never seen her look so vulnerable before, her ears had never been lower. She looked into my eyes, not averting her gaze, 'Say it again,' she whispered.

'I love you,' I whispered in response. Smiling as her ears twitched and started to rise.

'Again.'

'I love you.'

'Again.'

'I love you, Catra.'

Tentatively, her face moved closer to mine, until our noses were side-by-side and her amazing eyes were all I could see, glowing in the partial darkness. 'Again.'

I smiled and stroked my hands up her back, relishing in how soft she was and how her fur felt as it shifted under my fingers. 'I love you, Catra, and I always will.'

A smile spread across her mouth and I felt my heart flutter in my chest. 'Adora...' she whispered, before gently pressing our lips together.

The kiss was slow, calm, reassuring. I kissed her with all the love I could muster, hoping to let her know through it that that she was safe, I was okay, and I wouldn't be going anywhere.

I hadn't noticed when, but I suddenly became aware that Catra was sat in my lap with her legs wrapped around my waist and her arms around my shoulders. I was kissing upwards, which was new, as I was slightly taller than her so would usually be the one kissing down. She felt so warm against me, so soft. I pulled her closer, pressing us together as much as I could.

Loss flooded over me when she pulled back from the kiss, but when I looked at her I didn't mind. Her hands trailed through my loose hair, massaging my head. I closed my eyes and rested my head against her chest, listening to her heartbeat. My hands trailed down her back and along her thighs, before repeating the journey, there and back.

'Do you...' I started, nervous at how she would respond, 'Do you want to talk about it?'

I felt her take a deep breath, her chest rising and falling against my head, 'Do you really want to know?'

'I think it will help. It's okay if you don't want to.'

'Hmm.' Catra was quiet for a moment, 'Okay.'

Catra moved her legs from behind me, straddling me, before pushing me back so I was lying down again. Then she joined me, resting her head against my chest, our legs intertwining. A hand rested on my torso and her tail latched onto my leg. Her fingers started tracing imaginary lines across my stomach, my chest, my neck, before working their way down again. I pulled the duvet up to cover us, before kissing Catra on the forehead.

'Comfy?' I asked.

'Very.'

We laid like that for a while and I held onto her, cradling her in my arm.

'It was about you.' Catra whispered.

'Me?'

She nodded, 'You were there. You've never been in one of my nightmares before.

'It was Horde Prime's ship. I watched as he lowered you into the green pool. I started running towards you, but I couldn't get any closer. I was running on the spot, as fast as I could but I couldn't reach you. The clones were chanting; you were shouting for help. Then I was turned around and Shadow Weaver was there. She was the one holding me back from you. _"This is for the best,"_ she said. Then I was turned around again and watched as Prime activated the machine. You started screaming as the pain took over and then I felt it too. Then I was the one in the pool and... and then I woke up and you were there. You were okay.'

'Are all your nightmares similar?'

She shook her head, 'No.'

'I'm here for you, Catra. It will help to talk about them.'

Her breath staggered for a second as she took in a deep breath.

'In one of them, I was surrounded by everyone. All the princesses, our squad from the Horde. Even Double Trouble. We were all laughing, joking, having fun. Then wherever we were darkened, and everyone stopped talking. Their eyes went black and they stood around me in a circle. It was quiet, I didn't know what was happening. Then they all started shouting. Shouting at me for every bad thing I've done. Every misstep was hurled at me with angry voices. They all spoke at once, but I could hear each of them perfectly. I think I was on the floor, curled up. I tried to cover my ears, but I couldn't drown them out. Then they all stopped at once, before turning around and walking in straight lines away from me. I followed after Scorpia, pleading, and apologising for everything. She stopped, looked me in the eye and said, _"you're a bad friend,"_ before disappearing. Then I was alone, in a crushing black void. I felt like I couldn't breathe, I was panicking... and that was it, I woke up.'

'Catra...'

'Yeah?' She asked, looking up at me.

'Your nightmares are terrifying.'

She scoffed, 'Tell me about it.'

I ran a hand through her hair, 'No one hates you anymore. No one's trying to hurt you, to hurt me. We're okay.'

'I know, Adora. I know. I can't help what I dream about.'

'None of it is your fault, Catra. We were manipulated our whole lives, raised to be fighters who survived by whatever means necessary. Even after I left the Horde, I was still used. Light Hope lied to me, hid things from me, almost made me destroy Etheria and the entire universe. If I hadn't broken that sword...'

'Is this you telling me about your burden?' She whispered.

I laughed, 'Don't ruin it.'

'Sorry, Princess.' I felt her hand travel down my chest, to my waist, across my hips before resting on my thigh.

I closed my eyes and continued, 'The pressure to be She-Ra was enormous. To be a saviour to everyone. I didn't even realise it at the time, but I was so stressed out for so long that it became almost normal. I remember feeling so tired, but I had to fight.' I laughed, 'I had to stop whatever plot you were cooking up next. You really kept me on my toes.'

Catra laughed too, 'Yeah, sorry. I just really wanted to best you. To prove to myself that I didn't need you. But I always needed you.'

I looked down at her, 'I remember when we took Darla from you in the Crimson Waste, I think your face got scratched and I trapped you behind a grate. How did you get out of that?'

A mischievous giggle sounded from within her, 'That wasn't me, Dummy. It was Double Trouble's audition.'

I put my other hand over my eyes, 'You're joking...'

'No, they are scarily good at impersonating people. Especially if they spend long enough around you. I don't know whether I should be offended you thought you could win in a one-on-one against me.'

'As She-Ra? Of course I could.'

'Pfft, get over yourself! We both know I'm faster. And besides, that old She-Ra had such massive hair that it gave you a huge blind spot.'

'It was big wasn't it? I never really felt comfortable in that form. I much prefer the new She-Ra.'

'Hmm. Me too.'

'You do? Why?'

Catra looked up at me and stroked a hand down my cheek. The light from the aurora was fading now, and the room had gotten steadily darker. Catra's eyes shone as bright as ever. 'Because she looks like you. She is you.'

I wrapped both my arms around her and squeezed, 'Bow is right you know, you are cute.'

Catra started to purr, I felt my heart squeeze. 'Whatever you say, Adora. And if you ever want to talk about anything else, I'll listen. You listened to me this morning and it helped, so I want to do the same for you.'

'Thank you, Catra. Honestly, I've never stopped to think about myself, at all really.'

'I know, Adora. That's just the kind of person you are, always throwing yourself out there to protect other people. Now that the war is over, you have to think about protecting yourself too, before whatever weighs you down catches up to you.'

I closed my eyes, thinking. I really hadn't cared for my own health, my own safety, at all before. I always wanted to protect... _everyone._ 'Okay... I'll think on it some more and then I'll tell you.'

Catra yawned, 'Sounds good, Princess.'

'Come on, let's get some sleep. We're heading to Dryl tomorrow. Stay close to me, I'll protect you from the nightmares.'

Catra nuzzled into my neck, kissing it gently. 'I'm not going anywhere.'


	16. The Long Game

It's been two days since we arrived in Dryl.

One thing I found strange as we first stepped off of Darla was seeing everything covered in magical plants. The last time I was here it was a rocky wasteland and the city was dull and lifeless, but now there was life and little critters everywhere. Winged creatures flew through the skies which still shone with that magical aura. I remember absentmindedly wondering at one point if it would settle one day, or whether we would have beautiful skies forever now...

For the majority of our first day in Dryl, we all helped to unload the endless crates of tech and machinery from Darla. I had been surprised to see that Entrapta was able to mostly put Darla back together again overnight before we set off. Each of us stacked the crates in the Crypto Castle's courtyard while Entrapta rummaged through them, sorting the contents into different crates before handing them off to a line of waiting robots. For all intents and purposes, we were like a well-oiled machine. Entrapta's kitchen staff, the Baker, Soda Pop, and Busgirl also came back with us and they've been busy making tiny food alongside Wrong Hordak since we arrived. For whatever reason, the Horde never cleared out their supplies from Dryl when they ended their occupation, so the courtyard was still filled with the remains of their camp, tanks, skiffs, and weaponry. Entrapta insisted on keeping it there so that she could study it some more, and we were happy to oblige as there was really nowhere else to put it.

During day two, Entrapta asked for some time to herself so that she could set up the various experiments and tests she wanted to run on Catra and her First Ones tech. So, not having anything else to do, Catra and I spent the day sparring. After a while, Hordak asked if he could join. Catra refused to spar with him at first, but I agreed. After all, I knew he was trying to change for the better and wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt. As it turns out, Hordak is actually quite skilled both in hand-to-hand combat and with the training batons left behind by the Horde. I had never had the chance to fight him head-on before, and I initially struggled to keep up with him. He explained that since Horde Prime _"renewed"_ him he had felt stronger, faster, and much more agile than before but had not been given the chance to do more than stand guard until now.

Eventually, Catra gave in and agreed to spar with Hordak. I couldn't keep my eyes off her, she was so fast, darting around him and firing blow after blow his way. I knew she had fought him before, and won, but he seemed to be holding his own this time. He was able to block most of her strikes and by comparison was using far less stamina. After a while, I could tell Catra was enjoying herself. She'd seemed angry at first while frantically trying to attack him, but then she calmed down and started thinking, employing more strategy into her strikes, and landing them more and more, using Hordak's size against him. Hordak ended up winning that sparring match after tripping Catra with his baton and pinning her to the ground with one end of it. He had said something about that _making them even_ , which annoyed Catra to no end and for the rest of the night she insisted that he had cheated and that she would get him back.

We had slept in the castle on the first night, but after finding it super eerie and creepy we agreed to instead sleep in one of the Horde barracks outside. Catra still swears she heard the little pitter-patter of feet running around within the walls, and that had been plenty motivation for me to suggest that we sleep elsewhere.

So that's where we woke up on the morning of day three in Dryl.

There was something oddly relaxing about waking up in a Horde bunk. I had, after all, slept in them for most of my life. But waking up in one that was almost completely empty, with no one shouting about getting up and ready for inspection, was something that initially threw me for a loop in my half-asleep state. Part of me had expected Commander Cobalt to barge in through the door and shout, _"get up and ready for training, Cadets!"_ But no shout came. When I finally realised why, I relaxed back onto the hard, uncomfortable, yet familiar mattress.

Catra should still be in the bunk above mine. She always was the heavier sleeper, and after we didn't get much sleep the night before (because of the scuttling) I fully expected her to still be asleep. And so, like any loving girlfriend, I donned my best smirk and reached up, knocking on the bottom of her bunk.

'Anyone home?' I asked as politely as I could. I heard a loud groan in response and stifled my laughter.

'No...'

'You sure?'

'Five more minutes...'

I rolled out of the covers, pulled on my leggings, top, and the jacket I got from Bleatrix's stall before sitting on my bunk and sliding each of my boots on. Then I stood up, peeking over the top bunk at Catra. The bunk we chose was against a wall, and she laid facing it now with her back towards me. I reached a hand over and started prodding her sides. Her tail flicked at my arm, but I didn't relent, instead starting to tickle her on her waist just above her hips, between her grey shorts and sports bra. Catra hadn't brought many of her new clothes with her, insisting that she didn't want them to get ruined.

It wasn't long before she couldn't hold in her laughter anymore, and she started swatting at my hand while curling and arching her body, trying to get me to stop. 'Adora! Adora, stop! Fine! I'll get up! Just quit it! Stop ticking me!'

I stopped, peering at her innocently from the edge of the bunk. Catra turned to face me and locked her gaze with mine, 'I'm so getting you back for that, Princess.'

'Oh, are you?' I asked, arching an eyebrow.

'I am. You won't know what hit you...'

'Hmm.' I stepped back from the bed and started walking towards the entrance, before turning back and catching her watching me, 'I look forward to it.'

As I stepped into the morning light, stretching my arms in every possible direction, I cast my mind to the worries that hid within me.

The first: Melog had still not reappeared. The last time I saw them was when Catra had her nightmare, the night before we left for Dryl. I could tell Catra was worried, she had even made us wait for almost an hour before leaving Bright Moon. All I could do was reassure her that they must have had a good reason and they must be doing something important, otherwise they would be here with her now.

Secondly on my list of worries, today was the day when Entrapta said she would be ready to start running her tests on Catra. After all my experiences with magic and First Ones tech, I couldn't help but be a little sceptical about the whole thing. Although, the prospect of Catra being able to use magic did stir the curiosity within me and part of me was excited to help her get the hang of it, if we're able to find out how it works.

Lastly... Catra had barely touched or kissed me since the night Melog went missing. I was trying, yet failing, not to think too hard on this last one because it could be any number of things. For instance, it could just be that she's too worried about Melog to think about anything else. She could just need some space. She could be anxious about Entrapta's tests that have been looming over us the last couple of days. I tried telling myself time and time again that it was just me overthinking everything, that it was all fine and nothing was wrong.

But overthink I did.

_What if she doesn't want to be together anymore?_   
_What if she's only kissing me every so often out of pity?_   
_What if she figured out that I've been planning to propose and doesn't want me to?_   
_Have I done something to make her mad?_   
_Is she punishing me for something?_

I shook the thoughts from my mind just as Catra appeared, wearing her usual black and red uniform, looking at me with a curious expression. 'What's up with you, Princess? You seem frustrated.'

'What? No I... what's up with you?' I laughed nervously, trying to focus on putting on a more normal face.

'I'm fine, Adora.' She leant in close, whispering into my ear, 'It's you I worry about.'

I felt her warm breath on my ear and a shiver shot up my spine, she then trailed her lips across my cheek before kissing it softly, grinning as she pulled away. I had never focused so hard on keeping a straight face before, but I felt my cheeks betray me. Catra tilted her head and looked me up and down before turning on her heel on walking towards the castle. Once she was far enough away, I let out a huge breath before falling to my knees and covering my face with my hands. I hadn't felt anything like this before. I needed her touch. I needed her lips on mine. I needed to feel her against me. It all started after she teased me before leaving me hanging three nights ago, during Glimmer's aurora...

Wait.

_No._

She wouldn't.

_NO._

_She was still teasing me._

When I dropped my hands from my face, I saw that Catra had stopped. She was leaning forwards, looking back at me with a devilish smirk and a glint in her eye. I let myself fall further, holding myself up with my hands and staring at the floor.

'I'm such an idiot...' I mumbled to myself. After seeing me like this, completely defeated, she knew she had won. I could try to fight back, now that I knew the game, but I was spent, and she knew it. Over the last two days she had been wearing down my defences, coaxing me further out into the open, teasing me until I no longer had any way to fight back. All she had to do was whisper in my ear and watched as I literally fell to my knees. She hadn't been avoiding me, she hadn't been pitying me, she wasn't mad, and she certainly wasn't punishing me. She had been providing the slightest of touches in just the right places, breathing on me, giving me the smallest kisses, lingering just long enough for me to lean in for more before pulling away.

I could barely believe it.

_Two. Whole. Days._

This was the third day.

I looked up to see if Catra was still there. She wasn't. She must have carried on inside. I took a few deep breaths before standing and brushing myself off. Since it was too late for me to fight back, I accepted my fate. I would have to play along.

Or would I? 

I started walking towards the castle, trying to push down the excitement that rose within me.

**

Entrapta had given us both a customised tracker pad once we arrived in Dryl, which had a map of the castle installed on it as well as a tracking beacon. It allowed for you to see where everyone was in the castle at any one time, with the aim of making sure no one gets lost while walking around inside. Once inside the castle I referred to the map and eight blips shone back at me; four were in the kitchen, three in the lab, and the last one was me, wandering through the halls.

The lab looked similar to how I remember it from our last visit, which involved rampaging robots and a very giddy... me. Although the walls were now stacked high with the crates the robots had brought in, and new machinery filled a lot of the once empty space. Entrapta and Hordak were stood at the computer muttering to themselves with a small Horde bot sat off to one side, spinning itself round on the spot. Catra was stood to the left, watching the map on her tracker pad. She must have been watching my blip because she looked up as I walked in, firing that demon smirk at me. I smirked back and her expression dropped, she hadn't been expecting that.

'Adora! Good! You're here!' Entrapta swung over to me, using her hair to suspend herself from beams that stretched across the room above our heads. 'We need to start with you, to test the machine but also as a point of comparison for future reference data.'

I looked her quizzically, 'Uh, okay? Sure? What is it I'm doing, exactly?'

'NOTHING! Well, standing, but on this platform over here.' Entrapta swung over to the right, pointing to a small platform that had a multitude of wires leading away from it. She then tapped the top of the spherical horde bot, 'Make sure you record this, Emily!' It beeped a response.

I moved over and stood on the platform, glancing at Catra briefly. She was watching me curiously. 

Entrapta seemed as excited as ever, squealing under the prospect of whatever she was about to do. 'I've always wanted to scan you while you were awake!'

'Wait... what? Awake?'

The base of the platform suddenly glowed with an orange light, and a small arm extended from it. It spun around me and another light shone from it as it scanned over my legs, waist, torso, arms, and head before folding back up and vanishing back inside the platform.

Entrapta studied the data appearing on her screen. 'Hmm. You obviously have a great deal of magic within you, but there seems to be a lot more going on physiologically than there should... do you feel okay, Adora? Are you ill?'

'I- I'm fine!' I tried to glare at Catra but that victorious smirk was back, plastered to her face.

'Oh! That's good! The data suggests otherwise but if you think you're fine then I suppose that's okay!' Entrapta started tapping something on the keyboard. I had almost forgotten Hordak was there, he was just stood to one side, watching. He must know how Entrapta operates by now and was waiting for his cue. 'Okay! And now we should see...'

A rough outline of my body appeared on one of the larger monitors, it seemed to be glowing gold. 'This is a representative diagram of the magic within you!' Beamed Entrapta, 'Now if I load up the other princesses' data...' Outlines of the other princesses appeared on the screen, each glowing their respective colour.

'When did you scan the other Princesses... you know what? I don't want to know.' It was probably while they slept.

'I scanned them in their sleep!'

I facepalmed. 'Entrapta, you can't just -'

'NOW!' She interrupted, 'I need to do a scan of She-Ra to analyse possible differences in the concentration of your shared magical energy!'

I sighed, 'Okay, Entrapta. But you need to stop scanning people in their sleep.'

Stepping down off the platform, I reached a hand out above me, 'For the honour of Grayskull!' A light flickered in the palm of my hand before fizzling out, 'Oh! Not again!' I held out my hand again, willing She-Ra to come out. 'For the honour... of... Grayskull!'

Entrapta swung over to me, looking at something on her tracker pad before scratching her head. 'Have you tried concentrating?'

'Yeah, Adora! Concentrate!' Catra laughed from behind her. This was her fault as she knew it.

Entrapta moved back over to Hordak, looking over the data with him. I glared towards Catra. I think.

Catra's smirk turned into a wide, toothy grin, showing her fangs. I'd never seen her looking so mischievous before. She looked over at Entrapta and Hordak, who were busy running through the data and discussing possible reasons why I can't transform. Obviously, I couldn't tell them the real reason.

After a moment, likely deciding the pair were completely distracted, Catra moved over to me, her tail swishing behind her. I expected her to stop in front of me, smirk at me before teasing again. But she didn't. She walked right up to me, wrapping one arm around my back, and using her other hand to grab the back of my thigh. This is the most she's touched me in the last few days; I clamped a hand over my mouth to stop myself from making any noises, looking over to Entrapta and Hordak to make sure they weren't watching.

Then Catra leant in closer, pressing her cheek to mine before whispering, 'Looks like you've finally caught on, Dummy. Enjoying the game?' I kept my eyes fixed on the other two, not lowering my hand from my mouth. 'I meant what I said earlier. I'm going to make it up to you, and you are _not_ going to know what hit you...'

My heart skipped a beat as I yearned for whatever it was Catra was planning. 

I'm not sure what expression my face was betraying me with, but Catra's eyes shone with victory. Her hand let go of my thigh and grabbed my wrist, moving my hand away from my mouth. She leant forwards until our noses touched, before whispering again, 'Sorry, Adora, but they need the other one.'

The kiss that followed cleared my mind immediately. Suddenly it was all I could think about, the warmth of her lips, her hands moving up to hold my head. I wrapped my arms around Catra, holding her close, never wanting it to end. Her hands moved to my shoulders, digging in, and I felt the pressure of standing leave her legs. When she pulled back and I opened my eyes I saw that I was taller, and Catra was hanging on to me, supported by my arms around her waist.

Catra smiled that victorious smirk yet again, 'Hey, She-Ra. Thought I might find you here.' I looked around, Entrapta looked stunned whereas Hordak looked like he'd rather like to leave. Then I noticed Emily, who was still doing as she was told, recording the whole thing. Great.

Catra also noticed the bot and laughed, before planting her feet on my torso and pushing off of me, doing a backflip in the air and landing on her feet. 'She's all yours, Entrapta.'

'Fascinating...' She pulled out her small voice recorder from somewhere in her hair before rambling, 'She-Ra observation log, entry one thousand and... sixty... two? It seems She-Ra can be called upon externally by emotional and physical stimulus, potentially exclusively provided by Catra.'

I huffed, I could feel how hot my cheeks were, 'Can we just get this over with? Please?'

Entrapta beamed a crazed smile, 'Absolutely! Same thing again!'

I stepped onto the platform and it creaked slightly under She-Ra's weight. The scan proceeded the same as last time, and I stepped down once it finished. Entrapta squealed excitedly before loaded the data to the visual diagram, as before, and the outline of She-Ra appeared next to mine. She also had a golden glow, but it seemed brighter, almost pure white. Entrapta let out a giddy squeal as she looked up at her collection of glowing princess outlines, 'This is the first time I've been able to successfully scan She-Ra! I'm going to look over this data so many times!'

Catra coughed, 'Uh... Etheria to Entrapta, is it my turn now?'

Entrapta peeled her eyes away from the monitor screens, 'Oh! Catra! Yes, go ahead!'

Same thing again, Catra stepped on, she was scanned, she stepped off. What wasn't the same, however, was that Entrapta was silent. Frozen to the spot, looking at her tracking pad.

I stepped forward, 'Uh, Entrapta? What's wrong?'

She didn't respond, instead tapping away on the pad. Then, the outline of Catra appeared underneath all the others. It turned grey, then pink, then blue, green, red, then it sped up, quickly flashing through all the colours of the princesses. All except mine and She-Ra's.

Catra looked perplexed, 'Uh... that doesn't look good, what does that mean?'

All eyes fell on Entrapta, who slowly turned around, regarding Catra with awe.

'It means,' she said, slowly, double checking the data, 'that you may be able to use _all_ the magic of Etheria!'


	17. Dip Down

'I have brought tiny food for my beloved brothers!'

Wrong Hordak broke the stunned silence that had fallen over the lab with his sudden declaration of food. Entrapta was immediately enthralled by it, swinging past a frozen Catra before stuffing her face with one tiny cupcake after another. Hordak simply turned to observe the data on the screens, before picking up the tracker pad and flicking through more readings.

Catra turned to face me; she looked dazed, with just a dash of confusion sprinkled on top. I returned to my normal size before shrugging, I didn't have any answers to give, but I would certainly try and bring Entrapta back to us.

'Entrapta.' She turned her head and regarded me curiously, 'Any chance you're maybe going to, oh, I don't know, elaborate on what you just said? For all of our benefits.'

She swallowed the cupcake she had been munching before picking up another and swinging back over to the computer, 'Absolutely! Just one question... What was I saying again?' I was about to speak when she held up her hand, 'WAIT! I know! Emily! Play back recording!'

Emily beeped in understanding before projecting an image of Entrapta working on the scanning platform, _"...can't wait to finally scan She-Ra! I've been wanting to do this for so -"_

'No that's not it,' Entrapta interrupted herself, 'Fast forward to today.'

The recording sped up before returning to normal speed, _"...hope this doesn't blow up. Adora would NEVER forgive me for blowing up Cat-"_

'Nope, a bit more.'

'Wait.' I said, pointing, 'What was that?'

'What was what? ... STOP! That's it, play.'

_"It means you have it all. You may be able to use all the magic of Etheria!"_

Entrapta planted one fist on top of another, 'That's right! That's where we were at.'

I sighed, 'I could have just told you that.'

'Oh don't worry, Emily likes to be included.'

Emily beeped enthusiastically in response.

Only then did I look back over at Catra. Wrong Hordak was hovering around her, offering her the last of the tiny cupcakes but she didn't seem at all interested. I walked over and grabbed the petite confectionery, chucking it into my mouth and relishing in its sweetness.

'Ah! Brother, thank you! I was afraid I was never going to able to leave.' Wrong Hordak hugged the tray to his chest and beamed a bright green smile at me.

Once I finished the cupcake, which really didn't take long, I asked, 'Why would you not be able to leave?'

'Ah, you see, the kind Baker said not to come back unless all the food had been eaten. I was truly distressed to think I would never be able to return to the kitchen. You have freed me, brother! Thank you!' At that, he winked at me before turning on the spot and sauntering back towards the kitchen. 

'Ugh, he's so annoying.' Catra mumbled to herself.

I lightly placed my hand on her shoulder, 'I kind of love him though, he's awesome.'

Catra was growing impatient, I could see her frowning at Entrapta and rapidly tapping her foot on the floor. I squeezed my fingers, gently pressing on her collarbone, 'Hey, just give her a sec. She'll tell us more when she's rea-'

'OKAY!' Entrapta shouted, spinning around on her chair and tapping away on a tracker pad. 'After analysing the data I have some more specific information for you... here we go. You technically _could_ use a bunch of different kinds of magic, but I wouldn't advise it.'

'Why not?' Catra asked, stepping forwards. She took the words right out of my mouth with a confidence I had not been anticipating. 

'Because you're not a magical being, unlike She-Ra. If Adora were to use too much of She-Ra's power when not in the She-Ra form, she would likely faint or collapse. Any damage would then be healed by She-Ra, bringing her back to normal as if nothing had happened.'

'...but?' Catra pressed, this must have been what she was waiting for. The downside, the risks.

'But... because you're not She-Ra, and you technically have a similar level of magical energy within you, overusing it will cause you to lose consciousness... or worse... and you won't be able to heal yourself. Which gives us a second reason as to why you collapsed in the temple! Not only did you suffer a severe psychological shock, but you also lost control of your magic, using too much at once, draining you and overloading your body! These two factors combined must have amounted to the point where you just completely shut down!'

'I... lost control...' Catra looked back at me and I caught the pain in her eyes, I tensed my body knowing what was coming next, 'I hurt you.' She started to turn and run but I was ready; I immediately caught hold of her wrist, holding her back, 'Adora! Let go!'

'No, Catra, I won't. You said you would trust me, well it's time to trust me. Stay, and we'll work it out. Together. Just like we said. It's okay, I was scared too.' Reassuring people is not something I was overly used to doing, but I knew Catra. I knew that she needed someone just to tell her it's okay. 

Catra quickly stopped pulling away. After a moment she moved toward me, her arms threading around my waist and her head nestling into my shoulder. 'I'm sorry...' she whispered against my neck. 

'It's okay,' I replied softly, stroking the softness behind her ear, 'It's a lot to take in.'

'I theorise!' Entrapta continued, completely oblivious to our small altercation, 'That with considerable practice you should be able to manage the flow of magic within you... If you are able to somehow control what triggered it last time, your emotions, your memories, everything that sparks strong feelings within you, you should be able to use most magic at will... magic is very emotional... unlike SCIENCE!' Entrapta was laughing maniacally, apparently lost in her own little world of science vs. magic. 

Hordak stepped forward now, making himself known for the first time since we entered the lab. He placed his tracker pad down on the desk and moved over to us before talking directly to Catra, 'I would suggest, Catra, that we reconvene for a... _rematch_. Following on from my victory during our sparring yesterday.' I smiled at him. I could see what he was doing and it would absolutely work. 

Catra moved away from me, meeting Hordak's challenging stare. 'Oh, you want a rematch, do you?'

Hordak smiled, his eyes narrowing, ' _Yes_. Even with your magic, you will not be able to best me. I am stronger than I've ever been, faster than even you.'

Hordak riling up Catra to fight him by using her magic was a stroke of genius. If she was able to use it without overthinking... it could work. Being thrown into familiar situations can relax you, Hordak knew this. I forget that at some point he must have trained the first Force Captains and Commanders in the Horde, the ones that would eventually train us. I was looking forward to watching a Hordak training session first hand.

'And,' Hordak continued, 'If you _are_ able to best me, if you can manage even that, then you shall fight... She-Ra.' He shot his challenging glare in my direction, with Catra following his gaze with an assured look of confidence. 

Her eyes shone keenly, I could tell she was in her element. 'Oh you're on. I'm taking you down, and then I'm taking down the hot warrior princess.' A beat of silence passed. When our eyes met they doubled in size and our cheeks flushed a violent crimson as we simultaneously realised what she said, 'Uh... I mean...'

'No... no... it's okay.' I stammered while nodding, 'You think She-Ra's hot, but you've never said that about me. I see how it is.'

'No! Adora! That's not what I -' Catra started to defend herself but was cut off by Hordak laughing.

'I shall be waiting in the square, _just_ Catra. Join me when you are ready.' Hordak started walking away, cracking his knuckles and gearing himself up for the imminent sparring match. 

'Ooo, magical combat... with First Ones tech... Come on, Emily! We have to record this so I can analyse it for future research and study!' Entrapta hopped on top of Emily and they sped after Hordak, heading outside to the courtyard. 

Catra was standing in front of me, fidgeting nervously. 'Catra?' I asked, 'Are you okay?'

She looked up at me, locking her eyes with mine. She was still blushing furiously. 'I wasn't talking about She-Ra, okay?' She turned on the spot, quickly walked out of the lab as she turned on her tracker pad and observed the map as she left.

I couldn't help but rest a hand on my chest, where my heart had suddenly started to feel a little tighter... _I love her so much_ , I thought to myself, before taking out my map and following after her.

**

Entrapta was busy double checking the camera in Emily and fiddling with some other internal wiring as I stood next to her. I wondered if the bot was still the same Emily that Entrapta had first reprogrammed in the Fright Zone, or if enough of her parts had been replaced or swapped out to make it an entirely new bot.

I shook my head, where did that come from? That was a confusing line of thought.

Ahead of me, within the loosely marked border of the sparring ring me and Catra had constructed by lying flag poles down to form the edges, Hordak stood patiently. He was testing the weight of the weapon he had chosen, a long shock-stick. It looked like a spear, but the end formed two probes that crackled with electricity when activated. Hordak held it at various points and angles, getting a feel for its weight and balance. He was taking this seriously.

Catra emerged from our barracks. She was wearing the silver circlet, the blue gemstone glowing faint, and one of the gloves. Our eyes met and she smiled nervously, pulling on the other glove before stepping over the flagpole and entering the ring.

Hordak smiled proud, planting the blunt end of the shock-spear into the ground in front of him. 'Are you ready to be bested, again?' He taunted.

Catra stretched her arms over her head, then readied herself into a low stance, preparing to lunge, 'Just you wait, Hordak. I'll show you who's boss.'

'Be careful, Catra!' I was hoping that she would be able to control her magic if it did appear, but I stood ready just in case. 

She smiled back confidently, 'Always am!'

After a moment of daring each other to make the first move, Catra leapt forwards, initiating the match. She bounded towards Hordak, taking huge strides on all fours before leaping into the air with claws at the ready. Hordak moved backwards, dodging the strike as Catra landed where he had just been standing.

'Too slow,' he snarked as he dodged to the left, avoiding another of Catra's slashes before bringing up the staff to accurately block a sudden kick. The staff swung at Catra but she ducked just in time to avoid a nasty headache. After righting herself she moved in on Hordak's back, sensing an opening. But Hordak didn't stop the swing of his staff, instead twirling it around and catching Catra in the side before roaring, 'Too easy!'

Suddenly she stopped, taken by surprise at the unexpected attack, gripping at her side. Before she had chance to react, Hordak jabbed her in the stomach with the blunt end of the staff, forcing the air out of her lungs, winding her. She fell backwards to the floor, gasping for breath as Hordak raised the staff above his head. He aimed the dual probes down, igniting the cackling of the electricity, bringing it down towards her. Catra yelled out, closing her eyes and holding up her hands in a last-ditch effort to defend against the attack that would inevitably find its target, win Hordak the match, and most likely stun Catra into a temporarily unresponsive state. I instinctively moved forwards but stopped as I observed what was happening in front of me. 

The strike never landed.

The gem in Catra's circlet and the discs on the gloves shone a bright blue, I watched in awe as the shock-staff was being repulsed by a shield-sized disk of bright blue energy. It was the same energy that had surrounded Catra in the temple and seemed to be vibrating with the same force and power that I had felt when I placed my hand on it. In the temple, I hadn't applied any pressure to it, instead leaving it well alone. I had felt that if I tried to break through it would push back. This time, Hordak was actively straining against it, trying to push the shock-staff down and through it. But the staff wasn't even connecting to the blue of the energy, instead being held an inch or so above, the end steadily shaking more and more violently as it was held in place against the shield.

Entrapta was frozen to the spot next to me, her mouth agape, watching the scene unfold. Even she hadn't predicted something like this. 

'Catra!' 

Catra's eyes flew open and met mine as she heard me call her name, she then looked up at Hordak who was struggling against the energy barrier. She yelled with a mixture of surprise and shock, accidently firing a pulse out from the shield, releasing the built-up vibrations and flinging Hordak backwards across the edge of the sparring court. The disc of energy dissipated in front of Catra as she lowered her hands and hastily scrambled to her feet.

'Oooo,' Entrapta watched as Hordak flew backwards, before taking out her voice recorder and rapidly speaking into it. 'Catra First Ones tech magic observation log one: It seems that while wearing the First Ones tech Catra can conjure some kind of magical energy field that defends against incoming attacks! It also stores up the potential energy and redirects it, releasing it as a pulse shock-wave, knocking back who or whatever is within the line of sight! This is so exciting!'

Now it was my turn to gape in wonder. That must have been what I felt when I placed my hand against the bubble before, if I had pressed much harder or surprised Catra I would have been flung backwards into the swirling gale that had surrounded us.

'What kind of magic was that?' I asked, I can't do that...

'GREAT QUESTION!' Entrapta leaped up onto her hair, towering above me, 'I hypothesise that it's an ability exclusive to those pieces of First Ones tech! I wonder if it can form any more shapes, like your sword can...' She trailed off as she looked back towards the ring, Hordak was shuffling around the edge toward us. 

Catra was staring intensely at her gloved hands, the discs and gem of her tech still shining with a bright magical glow. 'Your turn, Adora,' being challenged by Catra was nothing new. In that moment however, after watching her fling our old boss across the sparring ring, I was a little apprehensive. 

Shaking those thoughts from my mind, I stepped forward, 'Awfully confident, aren't we?' I hopped over the flagpole, watching as Hordak took my place standing next to Entrapta. She immediately started looking over him, no doubt trying to see if there were any other effects loaded with that energy pulse. 

'Against you? Always.' Catra smirked, before crouching into a similar position as before. 'Bring out the big guns, Adora.'

There was something hypnotic about seeing Catra in a glowing magical circlet, seeing her in any kind of jewellery always seemed too far fetched and I had thought I would ever have the pleasure of seeing her wearing any.

'Uh... hello? Adora? Are you going to be able to bring out She-Ra or do you need some help?'

I felt my cheeks flush red and I drew in a sharp breath, 'Um...' I extended my hand, ready to call forth She-Ra... but stopped, 'I think I might some help, actually.' I didn't, I just wanted to kiss Catra again and fought against the dorky grin that I felt encroaching on my face.

Catra frowned and glanced over at Entrapta and Hordak who seemed to be conversing quietly, before tentatively walking over to me. 'Are you serious, Adora? How bad do you need me to -'

'Try and dip down!' Entrapta called out of nowhere. Hordak leant down and whispered into her ear and she expanded on her advice, 'Dip down into your emotions! Draw them out and use them to control your magic!'

Stopping a few feet away from me, Catra looked over to Entrapta and tried to work out what she meant. I rolled my eyes and walked over.

'What does she mean "dip down?"' Catra asked as I stood in front of her, blocking her view of Entrapta and Hordak.

I held her face in my hands, lifting her eyes to mine, 'Well, whenever I turn into She-Ra, I think about how much I love you.' I leant down and kissed her, letting her fill my senses, my heart fluttering at the contact and her warmth as she kissed me back. I needed more, but I knew I would have to wait. 'Maybe something like that?' I suggested as I pulled back from the kiss.

The sight before me was not one I was expecting, Catra had her eyes closed and was already leaning back up for more. I smiled, for the first time considered that her teasing me for the last few days must have had a drastic impact on her as well. I leant forward and kissed her on the cheek before smiling and walking back over to my side of the makeshift sparring ring. Catra must have recovered quickly, because she was once again on her side facing me, albeit with a much softer expression than before.

Once again, I extended my hand out and confidently spoke the mantra which helped me bring forth She-Ra. I realised some time ago that I didn't need to say the words, but saying them out loud helped me to focus myself. That, and I had been using them for three years. Stopping now would be like trying to break my habit of keeping a knife under my pillow at night. I held the sword ahead of me, pointing it toward Catra. I could feel She-Ra's hair billowing in the wind behind me as we, apparently, began our staring contest.

Catra seemed to be trying something new. She stood up straight and closed her eyes, concentrating. I readied my sword as she lifted her hands towards me. For a while, nothing happened. Entrapta and Hordak watched in curious silence as Catra stood, unmoving, focusing on _something_. Then, out of nowhere, she smiled. A gorgeous smile that distracted me and pulled at my heartstrings. The smile was immediately followed by her tech glowing, which preceded the green aura that soon surrounded her form.

Wait, green?

I felt a tickle at my foot and looked down to see a root wrapping itself around my ankle, having prised itself through the metal plating that made up the ground within Dryl. Catra suddenly lowered her arms to her sides, forming her hands into fists. Once she opened her eyes again, I could see that they were also glowing with a faint green aura, her pupils dilated. There was a glint in her eye, and I suddenly felt concern about the root which was now halfway up my leg.

Before I had chance to slash at the base of the root, Catra steadily jerked her arms upwards, as if lifting something heavy. Immediately afterwards the floor rumbled as the rest of an ancient root system shot out of the ground, carrying me with it and suspending me in the air upside down. I looked across at Catra who was staring in utter disbelief at the tree of roots that now stood tall in the courtyard of Dryl.

Entrapta practically screamed. She then took out her voice recorder as Catra ran towards me, 'A HUGE SUCCESS! Catra was able to summon an ancient root system and tunnel it through the metal flooring of Dryl! Trapping She-Ra by the ankle and suspending her approximately six feet above the ground! Truly fascinating!'

Catra held my head in her hands and kissed me while I dangled from the root. I could feel the blood rushing to my head but I ignored it, instead running my free hand through her hair. After all, when was the next time I was going to get the chance to kiss my girlfriend while hanging upside down from an ancient root?

After she moved away, I started swinging myself back and forth until I was high enough to slash at the root under my foot and land, more or less, on my feet. Catra hugged me after I finished prising the remaining bits of old plant from my leg, and I put an arm around her in return. I marvelled at how adorable she was. I always forgot just how tall She-Ra is compared to Catra, her head only just reaching my shoulders.

Catra looked up at me, her whole face smiling, 'I did what you said! I thought about you, how much I love you, how much you mean to me... and then I could _feel_ it, this life, under the ground. I willed it to grow and it did, all because I thought about how much I love you.'

I smiled down at her, placing a hand on her cheek. She leant into it, purring contentedly. 'Catra, you're amazi-'

'Fascinating...' Entrapta seemed to appear out of nowhere and was stood right next to us, listening in to what Catra had been saying. Addressing her recorder, she muttered, 'It seems that the emotion known as "love" is responsible for control over plant-life. Which would lead to suggest that "fear" may be the controlling factor for wind...' She dropped her bug mask over her face and peered at Catra before hoisting herself up with her hair and moving back over towards Hordak.

'You know,' I drawled, twirling my sword around in my hand, 'I'm not actually out of bounds, so the match is still going.'

Catra laughed, 'Oh, you're on, Princess. Come and get me,' she taunted, before turning tail and putting a good amount of distance between us. I smiled and was about to run after her when I felt a hand on my shoulder. It was Hordak.

'Adora,' he spoke low, hushed, 'Once you are... finished here, please find me within the castle. There is something I wish to discuss. Something potentially... troubling.'

I nodded, wondering what it could be about. Worry nagged in the back of my mind, but I pushed it back, I had my match to settle with Catra first, 'Yeah, okay. I'll find you.'

Hordak hummed in response, before turning and walking away. Entrapta followed him into the castle, talking about something while looking at her tracking pad. Emily stayed outside, fixed on Catra.

I turned my full attention back to Catra, who was focusing again with her arms outstretched and her palms open. Her tech shone a brilliant blue. Then, materialising in the air in front of her, a staff. It was made of the same blue translucent energy as her shield from earlier, glowing and pulsing softly in the air as it formed. Catra opened her eyes and smirked, before snatching the staff straight out of the air and twirling it around her body. She locked eyes with me and motioned for me to come at her.

I scoffed, 'Show off!' 

'You're no better!' She called back.

We both charged at the same time, clashing sword against staff as blue energy fizzled around us. As our eyes met in the heat of the moment, we smiled at one another, before pulling back from the bind and continuing the duel without reservation. 


	18. Fizzy Thievery

Catra was a fast learner, this I knew, but I was not prepared for how quickly she would get the hang of conjuring weapons of blue energy from nowhere. Unlike my sword, which changes form to become almost anything I can think of, Catra's energy does not shapeshift. Once she summons something it stays in that form until she releases it or it's taken away from her. I was able to disarm her a few times, but each time the energy staff would disappear from my hand and she would simply summon a new one.

After a while she was also able to form multiple things at once, and it wasn't long before she started duel-wielding shorter baton-length rods or using a shield alongside a weapon. Her confidence grew with every match we sparred, but I was always able to win. Fighting against the new She-Ra is not something Catra had experience doing and she hadn't been prepared for how much faster I was than before, easily outpacing her within the confines of the makeshift ring. Regardless of losing, Catra seemed to be enjoying herself. It wasn't until I pinned her to the ground with my hands around her wrists that she surrendered, laughing as I stared down at her.

Seeing her like this made my heart ache. I would never get over the sight of Catra honestly laughing, having fun, all while spending her time with me. I shrunk back down to Adora size and laughed along, before lying down and looking up at the sky beside her.

It was mid afternoon now and the moons were easily visible through the clouds. Shadow Weaver had once taught us about the moons. There were twelve of them, they provided light to Etheria and each one helped the princesses control their power and played a role in keeping the magical ecosystem of Etheria in check. But most of all, we weren't to be fascinated by the moons; they were evil as they helped boost the enemy's power. We were to look on them with disdain and dream of the day we could break their connection to the princesses.

It seemed such a wild fantasy now. Catra and I spent a few nights after that whispering about what we would do if we could jump from moon to moon, which one we would claim as our own...

Catra's hand reached for mine and I held it, interlacing our fingers before squeezing gently. I looked over and saw her staring upwards as well, I wondered if she was thinking about the same thing as me. Her ear twitched and she turned her head, meeting my gaze and holding it as we stared into each other's eyes.

After a short while Catra turned to look at the sky again, before sitting up and taking off her gloves. She then turned to look me in the eye before smirking and trailing a hand up the inside of my thigh. I accidentally let out an involuntary moan at the sudden contact before clamping my hand over my mouth. I had forgotten that I was still completely defenceless, but I knew she was too and I secretly plotted my revenge. Catra laughed before standing up, leaving me lying on the floor.

'I'm going to wash, Princess,' Catra said as she started walking toward the Horde shower block.

I gathered my senses and sat up, watching her go, 'Is there any water left in the tanks?' I called after her.

Catra shrugged, 'Guess I'll find out!'

Once I stood up and brushed myself down, I made my way toward the Crypto Castle. It was about time I found Hordak and listened to what he wanted to tell me. I felt that worry from earlier steadily creeping back to the front of my mind, emerging from its temporary lair in my subconscious.

**

It wasn't difficult for me to find Hordak, I just had to check all the blips on the map one by one. The first blip I checked was in the main laboratory, but it was just Entrapta practically drooling over a scrolling mass of data that I would not even pretend to understand. Wrong Hordak was cooking in the kitchen, with the Baker standing nearby watching what he was doing. Busgirl and Soda Pop were arguing in a storage room, apparently someone had been drinking all the fizzy drinks from storage.

Eventually, I found Hordak in what looked like his own personal study. The door was open, so I let myself in and wandered through to stand in the middle of the room. He had watched me enter but turned his gaze back to his monitor screen before typing something on the keyboard built into the desk.

'So...' I began, breaking the silence while spinning around and taking in the room. It was much smaller than his sanctum in the Fright Zone, with a few worktables dotted around and the beginnings of tinkering starting to take shape. There was also a dissected Horde scout drone on one of the tables, with various wires and components spilling from inside it. 'How do you like your new workspace?'

'It is... adequate,' he summarised, turning to face me. 'But as for why I asked for you...' I nodded and walked over to the desk he was standing at, observing the monitors above it. 'You will remember I addressed the issue of the clones that returned to their ships in orbit during the meeting in Bright Moon.' I nodded, and an image of Etheria appeared on the screen with a number of red triangles surrounding it, 'I have kept a close eye on them since then. The clones themselves should be fine, we don't need sustenance, sleep, nor anything else a regular being needs for survival. We were bred for combat, to be expendable, bodies to fling into an endless inferno of death and -'

'Hordak!' I shouted, cutting him off, 'You're getting a bit carried away there.'

He coughed, 'Apologies. As I was saying, the clones will be fine up there on their own. They will survive as it is what our DNA is programmed to do. However, this scan was made five days ago.' He tapped a series of buttons on the keyboard, 'and this one is from yesterday.' A handful of the triangles disappeared.

I frowned, 'Wait, what does that mean? Have they gone?'

Hordak looked down at me, 'Gone? Where would they go? They have no orders, no directive. They cannot even access the hive mind to contact other ships. No... Something else is happening around Etheria, and it does not bode well.'

My mind started racing as I paced back and forth within Hordak's workshop.

_Were they under attack?_   
_Were we under attack?_   
_Had they slipped into portals?_   
_Had they turned the ships off?_

'While this is a troubling development, I feel that if Etheria were under attack we would know by now. There are numerous possible explanations behind the scans losing track of those ships, but two are the most likely; one being that the clones have simply flown into a panic and managed to disable the vessels. This would not matter, as we can survive without air and within the vacuum of space. The second and more plausible is that they have been externally disabled.'

I stopped and looked at him, 'You don't mean blown up do you?' I motioned an explosion with my hands, making a slow explosion sound that trailed off as my hands moved further apart.

Hordak blinked, then frowned, 'There is no sound in the vacuum of space, so it would not make... _any_ noise. But yes, explosion is likely, but not exclusively the explanation. Hence, "externally disabled."'

'So what do we do? Can't we just fly Darla up there and take a look?'

He hummed in thought for a second, 'I would not advise it, not until we know what is out there. Else we may find ourselves being -'

'"Externally disabled,"' I nodded, 'Got it.'

'For now, I only wished to inform you of this development as you now seem to be... the protector of this world.' I laughed nervously, rubbing the back of my neck. 'I shall continue to monitor our atmosphere and those ships still in orbit, which I can do much easier from Dryl than I could from Bright Moon. I am also in the process of developing a means of looking into the stars. Horde Prime used a combination of concave and convex objective lenses, enhanced through his technological prowess, to look through the stars as you would look across the land with binoculars.'

'So... space binoculars?'

Hordak sighed, then nodded, 'Yes... space binoculars.'

'Okay, so... to summarise...' I let the information tick over in my head for a second, 'Some of the ships in Horde Prime's fleet have dropped off the radar, we can't go look in case we get "externally disabled," and you're working on a way to look into space without going into space.'

'Yes.' Hordak replied, 'That is an apt summary of the available information, my advice, and my plans.'

'Okay.' I nodded again, this was fine, 'So there's nothing we can do right now? I'm just leaving you to watch over this whole... _thing_ , right?'

'Yes...'

'Okay... yeah... I can do that. That's easy. I can not worry about that. Okay, cool.' I breathed out heavily, Hordak looked concerned. I waved a hand towards him, 'I'll be fine.'

His eyes narrowed as he observed me.

'Is that everything?' I asked, straightening up.

Hordak nodded, 'I shall contact you if there are any major developments.'

'Okay, well... not to be rude, but for that reason alone I hope you don't contact me.' A nervous laugh escaped me.

Hordak turned and sat down at the worktable with the dissected Horde scout drone, before picking up a tool and starting to work on it some more. I waved a goodbye, even though he wasn't looking and turned to leave, closing the door as I left. Once in the corridor I leant against the wall and placed my fingertips to my temple, massaging my head slowly. How was I _not_ supposed to worry about any of that? Horde ships going missing? That seems like a big thing!

I sighed and moved off down the corridor, coming to terms with the fact it was out of my hands and Hordak would keep an eye on the whole situation from here.

As I rounded a corner, I almost bumped into Busgirl. She was carrying a tray of tiny food in one hand from the kitchen and managed to swerve around me and I stumbled around her.

'Woah! Sorry!' I yelled as we narrowly avoided one another.

'That's okay!' She replied, 'Oh! Adora, wait!' I stopped and looked at her, 'This is dinner, for you and... and...' she clicked her fingers, thinking hard, 'your girlfriend.' She must have given up.

'Catra.'

'Ah! Yes, Catra. Dinner for yourself and Catra.' Busgirl handed me the tray and I thanked her before turning and continuing down the corridor. I quickly glanced at the map on my tracker pad, committing the route out of the castle to memory, before turning it off and focusing on not dropping the tray. I wondered why they still made tiny food for us, when it was only Entrapta that insists on having it bite-sized.

My thoughts were interrupted by a scuttling sound coming from the storage room that had been the site of Busgirl and Soda Pop's argument earlier. Curiosity got the better of me and I leaned in closer to the door, listening. I heard the _hiss_ of a frizzy drink being opened, followed by the sounds of loud guzzling. I pushed one hand against the door gently, trying not to make a noise. It didn't work, the door creaked regardless, and I cursed it for betraying me. Then, I heard the bottle hit the floor followed by the sound of tiny footsteps. I gradually eased into the storage room, looking around. Sure enough, there was an open bottle on the ground, spilling its contents across the floor.

I gulped, '...H-hello?' I asked into the empty room.

A loud burp answered me from the darkness, behind some boxes. I started walking over but a clattering behind me caught my attention. Straining my eyes in the dim light I tried to see what made the noise... it was the cap from the drink. Suddenly I heard the pitter-patter of tiny feet once again, quickly followed by the _clang_ of metal on metal. I hurried round behind some boxes to try and spot whatever was there, but I was too late. The only evidence that something had been here was the open drink bottle, and an ajar metal grate in the wall.

**

The barracks door closed behind me with a satisfying click, Catra was already back from the shower and was sprawled on her front across a towel she had laid out on my bunk. She was talking to someone on the tracker pad, having quite an energetic discussion that I couldn't quite hear. As I neared the bunk, tray in hand, I couldn't help but let my eyes wander over her body, her legs, her back, her arms... It seemed Catra had found some actual Horde issue underwear, and while it wasn't exactly revealing it didn't hide the dips and curves of her form at all... I felt my body start to ache at the sight of her.

Catra looked up as I got nearer, her eyes widened at the sight of food and she held her index finger to let me know she was almost done with her call. I sat on the bottom bunk opposite mine and placed the tray next to me, from this distance I was able to catch the end of their conversation.

'... and then Perfuma told them which mushrooms they _should_ use in future...'

Ah, it was Scorpia, that makes sense.

'Listen Scorpia...' Catra said after a minute or so, 'Adora is here with food so I'm going to go. It was nice to catch up.'

'Absolutely! Anytime, Wildcat. Hi, Adora!' Scorpia shouted through the screen.

I leant over and smiled, waving, 'Hello, Scorpia!'

Catra hung up the call and quickly spun round, reaching her arms up and wrapping them around me while I was still leaning over her and pulled me down on top of her, hugging me tightly.

'Catra!' I yelled before bursting out laughing, it became immediately obvious that she had put no effort into drying herself after her shower, 'You're still wet! Let go!'

'You know it takes me forever to dry off, Adora! This is one of the many reasons why I hate water!'

I stopped struggling and looked down at her, her hair was swept back leaving her forehead wide open, there were so many things I could have done in that moment, but I resisted. Instead I kissed her exposed forehead before leaning back up, 'Come on, Catra, we've got food. I also need to talk to you.'

She let go at that, and sat up as I sat back down on the other bunk, 'You need to talk to me? Is it bad?'

After shoving a couple of the tiny pieces of food into my mouth I passed the tray over to Catra, and she picked out a couple before handing it back. 'Why would you assume me wanting to talk to you is bad?'

'Well... I don't know, maybe it was just the way you said it. We're good, right?'

I handed her the tray again before getting up and sitting next to her on my bunk. 'We're great, Catra. And it's not bad. Well, it might be - I don't know...'

Catra shifted from her position, leaving the tray where she had been sat and instead sitting back against the wall behind us, 'You can tell me anything, Adora. At this point I've heard it all.'

'Well...' I was going to tell her about Hordak told me but decided against it. It would probably cause her unnecessary worry on top of everything else she was dealing with. I picked the last few pieces of food off of the tray before placing it on the bench between the beds. Then I moved the towel and sat back down on my bunk, facing Catra. '...I heard more scuttling in the castle.'

'SEE!' Catra shouted, 'I'm not making it up! I could hear it all night before, I swear.'

'Oh, I believe you. Whatever it was, it was thirsty. I caught it stealing from a storage room.'

Her jaw dropped, 'No. Way. There's definitely something in there! Does Entrapta know?'

I shrugged, 'I don't know, even if she did it's not like she would tell it to leave. She'd sooner study it than let it get away.' I ate a couple of the pieces of food before holding the last one out to Catra. Rather than just take it, she leant across and opened her mouth expectantly. This was it, after seeing her like that I wouldn't be able to hold out anymore. I scoffed before placing the food in her mouth and she ate it hastily. 'You're adorable.'

'Well... shut up!' She looked away, hiding a blush.

I couldn't stop looking at her. In that moment I remembered what she had done in the Crimson Waste, taking my promise away from me. I decided to return the favour. 'Hey... Catra?' I said, trilling her name and slowly leaning forwards, steadily making my way towards her.

Catra suddenly blushed and started edging away, 'A-Adora? What is it?' She tried to hide the hint of a smirk on her lips - she caught on quick.

'I know what you've been doing to me.'

'What do you mean?'

'I know that it's been torture for you too.'

'I don't know what you're talking about.'

'I can't take any more. I can't wait any longer.'

'A-dora?' Catra whimpered my name as I straddled her. I didn't even mind that her fur was still damp against my legs. I held her wrists in my hands and pinned them to the bed.

I leant down gradually, burying my face in her neck, kissing it gently, coaxing out soft moans from her as I continued down to her collarbone.

'A... Adora...' She gasped my name between whimpers as she writhed beneath me.

Catra must have been torturing herself as much, if not more than me. I observed her as she lay below me and something took the reins, a desire for more that I could no longer subdue. Our lips clashed together without hesitation. Finally, I was able to kiss her the way I had wanted to for the past few days. Catra shuddered under me and there was a sound from the back of her throat, half growl, half moan. Shivers of pleasure shot through me as she deepened the kiss, parting my lips. I lowered my hands from her wrists and pressed my body against hers, sealing what space remained between us. My body shivered from the contact of her damp fur on me, but I didn't care.

Her hands moved down, taking off my jacket before working their way under my top. Her fingers trailed over my skin, sending shocks through me as they travelled up my waist, easing my top up before it was pulled over my head and thrown to the floor, joining my jacket. Catra looked at me as I sat above her with a hunger in her eyes, ignited by my own. Her hands reached up and she trailed her claws down my torso.

'You're so beautiful,' She whispered before tugging me back down and kissing me deeply. Any kind of rational thoughts had left long ago, there was now only _want._ My body ached for more than just kissing and touching - I wanted more of Catra. I knew she did too.

I pulled back, placing a hand on her cheek, watching as she breathed heavily. Her pupils were dilated, her lips swollen. 'I love you, Catra,' I whispered.

'Just kiss me, Dummy,' she pleaded, reaching her hands up to my face and trying to pull me back down.

I smirked and resisted, before taking her wrists in my hands and pinning them above her head. 'Say "please,"' I whispered. Catra bit her lip.

'You're making me beg?'

I leant down and moved my face up her neck, teasing her with my open mouth but not giving the satisfaction of contact. Catra shivered and let out a series of low whimpers while trying to break free from my grip on her wrists, but I was much stronger than her and she knew it.

'Hah... ah... Adora...'

After arriving at her ear I whispered into it almost silently, knowing she could hear me perfectly with my mouth this close. I let all my desires accumulated over the last three days out into the open. I told her all the things I wanted to do to her, relishing in the response she gave by trying to buck her hips under me.

'I'm not hearing a "please" yet...' I said, leaning back up slowly. My eyes lit up as I saw the expression on her face, it was one I had never seen before and I found myself moving toward it, taking it in.

'Ah... Adora... please... I want it all, please, all of it...'

I licked my lips as my face neared hers and I stopped when our noses were side-by-side. She breathed heavily under the anticipation, her mouth open as she reluctantly waited for me to initiate the kiss. _Good_. She was already doing one of the things I had whispered in her ear.

Catra moaned noisily as my lips finally met hers and the kiss deepened almost immediately. I held both of her wrists under one hand before moving the other steadily down her form, tracing all of her curves with the tips of my fingers. She whimpered into the kiss and I heard the faint sound of her purr rising from within.

_This was going to be fun._


End file.
